The technical crew and players of the Super Eagles have told Nigerians that they are committed to secure a slot at the 22nd FIFA World Cup finals in Qatar holding November 14 to December 18, 2022.
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare, and officials of the Nigeria Football Federation at a virtual meeting on Tuesday night, was assured by Coaches Augustine Eguavoen and Emmanuel Amuneke, and the players that they are aware of the challenge they will face when they play the Black Stars of Ghana in two-legged play-off in March. The team promised they will work hard to be victorious.
The Captain of the Super Eagles, Ahmed Musa, had declared: “The FIFA World Cup is the biggest football tournament in the world, and every player wants to feature there.
“A good number of the players in the team now have not been there, and the few of us that have been there, want to experience it again.
“We just want the NFF to help us get enough fans into the Abuja Stadium for the second leg. We will go to Ghana and dig our feet and ensure we get a result.
“We must admit that Ghana also want to qualify and they have a strong team. The return leg will be crucial and we are ready for the battle, but we want our fans to be in there cheering us on.”
The Super Eagles Technical Adviser, Augustine Eguavoen, stated that it is always an honour to serve the country, adding that he is impressed with the high level of discipline and commitment of the players at the AFCON in Cameroon.
Eguavoen declared: “I feel privileged to lead the group. We have two tough games against Ghana next month but I am not too worried because we have a squad that knows it is a mountain that we have to climb.
“We have a good headache to deal with – which is a surplus of good players. I want to thank the government and the NFF for all the support during the AFCON; we will need even greater support for the World Cup play-off.”
The Chief Coach of the Super Eagles, Emmanuel Amuneke, also stated: “I have worked with some of the players in the U-17 and U-20 teams, and some others I have known for many years. We have the team to earn the World Cup ticket and we will put our best foot forward for each game.”
Deputy Captain of the Super Eagles, William Ekong, emphasized that the players are aware of the big task ahead, requesting that they only require from the government to ensure that the pitch of the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja is in ‘pristine condition’ for the return leg encounter against the Black Stars.
According to Ekong, “We loved the pitch of the stadium in Garoua and it helped us play some good football. We would be delighted if the Abuja Stadium is in similar condition for the second leg.”
The Ghanaian national team is also preparing for the two-legged matches with Nigeria as the first leg will be played in Ghana.