Nigeria’s Super Eagles are keeping their focus firmly on their upcoming clash with Rwanda’s Amavubi in Uyo on Saturday, rather than looking ahead to their Matchday 8 encounter with South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in Bloemfontein, according to team captain William Ekong.
“You take one step at a time. We have Rwanda to play on Saturday, and there are three points there. After that is concluded, then we begin to think of South Africa. There are three points also in there when we play in Bloemfontein, but that is a few days after Rwanda. Rwanda comes first,” Ekong said on Thursday.
The Super Eagles have struggled in the current campaign, failing to win any of their first four matches. Despite this, Ekong emphasised the squad’s determination to secure maximum points in the remaining fixtures, confident it will be enough to book Nigeria’s place at the 48-nation finals in North America next summer.
“We will do our very best to go all out and win the remaining four matches. Hopefully, that will be good enough to take us there,” he added.
The Rwanda encounter marks Matchday 7, following a contentious Matchday 5 clash in Kigali, while the South Africa game is set for Matchday 8. Ekong’s comments echo lessons from the 1998 FIFA World Cup, when Nigeria’s focus on a potential quarter-final with Brazil led to a shock 4-1 defeat to Denmark in the Round of 16.
The Eagles’ camp reached full capacity on Wednesday with the arrivals of midfielders Raphael Onyedika and Christantus Uche, and forwards Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, and Tolu Arokodare.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s U17 women’s team, the Flamingos, will resume camp in Abuja on Sunday ahead of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals in Morocco, scheduled from 17th October to 8th November. Head Coach Bankole Olowookere has invited a total of 30 players, including four goalkeepers, nine defenders, nine midfielders, and nine strikers.
The Flamingos, bronze medallists at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, qualified for the first-ever 24-team U17 Women’s World Cup after impressive victories over South Africa and Algeria. The finals will be hosted across four venues in two Moroccan cities: Prince Héritier Moulay el-Hassan Sports Complex, Prince Moulay Abdellah Sport Complex, Al Barid Stadium, and Mohamed VI Football Academy.
The Flamingos’ squad includes four goalkeepers—Elizabeth Boniface, Onyinyechi Opara, Abigail Nmecha, and Sylva Echefu. Their defenders are Hannah Ibrahim, Jumai Adebayo, Azeezat Oduntan, Christiana Sunday, Ufuoma Lucky, Choice Ovwighovwiroro, Maryjane Ikeche, Blessed Isigbo, and Grace Ufot. In midfield, the team features Shakirat Moshood, Muinat Rotimi, Fatimah Shuaib, Waliat Rotimi, Taiwo Lukman, Esther Lasisi, Precious Nkwocha, Gift Anekan, and Ayomide Abubakar, while the forwards include Kaosara Olanrewaju, Kindness Ifeanyi, Queen Joseph, Shavih Istifanus, Tabitha Terlumu, Destiny Itodore, Chisom Nwachukwu, and Nofisat Tijani.
The team is expected to begin intensive preparations in Abuja as they aim to make a mark at the global tournament.
Melissa Enoch
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