By John Essien
Nigeria’s Super Eagles made it into the play-offs round of the 2022 World Cup qualifier, after playing out a 1-1 draw against Cape Verde at the Teslim Balogun Stadium on Tuesday evening.
The Eagles are now two games away from making their seventh appearance at the tournament after they emerged winners of their group.
Nigeria needed just a point to qualify for the play-off and they did just that, playing a 1-1 draw against the Blue Sharks, who finished second.
In form Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen handed Nigeria the lead in the first minute, but Stopira headed in the equalizer, as both teams went on to share the spoils.
While the Eagles camp is seemingly engulfed in celebration after they secured qualification to the play-offs, there seem to be a growing concern about the team lacking the ability to outwit a more formidable opponent with the African Cup of Nations tournament on the horizon.
After the result of Tuesday’s encounter, Nigeria’s place in the playoffs will have them slug it out with one of the other nine group winners to determine Africa’s five representatives in Qatar.
The current FIFA ranking based on the five seeded teams which include, Nigeria, Senegal, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco will go head to head in a two-legged fixture against the other unseeded team: Egypt, Cameroon, Mali, Ghana, DR Congo pending on the outcome of the draw billed for December 18, 2021, with the two matches taking place in March 2022.
Truth be told, all five unseeded teams are dangerous opponents for the three-time African champions, but having to face the likes of Egypt and Cameroon could be pose a daunting challenge considering Nigeria’s recent performance.
The Pharaohs of Egypt have arguably the best player in the world right now in Mohamed Salah.
But aside from Salah, north African oppositions have always been tricky opponents for the three-time African champions.
Not only that, the Egyptians have won the last two competitive matches between the two sides, with the most recent defeat coming in 2016, which saw Egypt deny Nigeria a place in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Super Eagles will also hope to avoid old nemesis Cameroon. The Indomitable Lions have caused Nigerians many heartbreaks in the past, and Nigeria will want to avoid a repeat.
