Super Eagles play Sao Tome and Principe today in a match-day two fixture of Group A’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
And Nigerians will be hoping the team can display their superiority over the tiny island nation and redeem themselves as giants of Africa.
International friendlies against Mexico and Ecuador ended in defeats but the Super Eagles showed aggressive attacking displays that yielded results in their 2-1 win over Sierra Leone last Thursday to end a winless run stretching back to January.
Some ex-stars have backed the Eagles to dominate proceedings in Morocco against the Falcons, who are ranked 183, 153 places behind the Nigerians.
1994 AFCON winner, Edema Fuludu, says the Eagles must win the match convincingly.
“They (Eagles) don’t have any choice than to win convincingly. Sao Tome lost 5-1 to Guinea Bissau, so if they (Eagles) must top the group, goals will count,” Fuludu told PUNCH Sports Extra.
“Going to Morocco means that we (Nigeria and Sao Tome) are both playing away from home, so we must show superiority there and deliver.”
Fuludu added that Eagles should view the match as a chance at redemption.
“Nigerians are yet to be happy with their performance especially after failing to qualify for the World Cup. They have their image to redeem and I believe that we should win convincingly.”
Sylvanus Okpala, a 1980 and 2013 AFCON winner as player and assistant coach respectively, added,
“We expect a win from them. They have no reason not to win all their matches because they have been together for the past three weeks, playing friendly matches. Against Sierra Leone, I expected a win and a win is a win whether it’s 1-0 or 2-1, it’s a win.”
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