Nigeria’s Super Eagles are targeting a ticket into the knockout and final stage of the African qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, with only a draw needed in their last group match this Tuesday, at home against Cape Verde, e360hubs.com reports.
The game is billed for Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, heading into which Nigeria are just two points ahead of Cape Verde, but all odds point in the direction of the Super Eagles picking one of ten tickets available for this stage in the race to Qatar 2022.
Only five tickets would then be up for grabs, from which the Eagles will hope for a fourth straight ticket to the Mundial, after missing out on qualifying for the 2006 edition in Germany, following appearances in 1994, 1998 and 2002.
This means the Eagles have their mind set on reaching their seventh overall Mundial after the end of the African elimination series, but they must first overcome Cape Verde on Tuesday, in order to be ranked among the top-10, from which the final five will emerge.
The odds look daunting, , but a preview by the communications department of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) read in part: “Victory or draw against the Sharks will send 12-pointer Eagles into the knockout round, with the visitors, who are on 10, needing to win to make progress at Nigeria’s expense.
“Nigeria has participated in all FIFA World Cup final tournaments since its debut in 1994 in the United States of America, bar the 2006 finals in Germany that she missed narrowly after FIFA opted to use the head-to-head rule in the qualifying campaign, which favoured Angola.
“Already, in-form Senegal as well as Egypt, Mali, Morocco and Democratic Republic of Congo have sailed into that final round, with African champions Algeria expected to have no trouble doing the same.
“Three other matches will produce the remaining two qualifiers. Five –time African champions Cameroon are at home to Cote d’Ivoire’s Elephants in Yaounde on Tuesday. The Lions, on 12 points, need a win while 13-pointer Elephants require only a draw.
“Tunisia hosts Zambia also on Tuesday, and would scale through with a draw as long as Equatorial Guinea, who shocked the Carthage Eagles on Saturday, do not pick all the points in Nouakchott against Mauritania. The Eagles and the Guineans are both on 10 points.
“Zambia, who victimized Mauritania 4-0 on Saturday to go to seven points, are also still in with a chance, if they win well in Tunisia and Equatorial Guinea drop all points in Nouakchott. The final round of the African qualifying series will hold in March 2022.”
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