AFCON Qualifiers: S’Eagles Target 12 Maximum Points

Defender Kenneth Omeruo has said that Nigeria is targeting  a maximum 12 points in their remaining four qualifiers to guarantee their passage to next year’s AFCON in Morocco.
The African champions, who failed to qualify for the 2012 AFCON, are third in Group A with a point after they lost 3-2 at home to Congo and held hosts South Africa to a goalless draw last month.
Congo leads the standings with six points, while South Africa is second with four points.
The Super Eagles tackle Sudan on Saturday in continuation of the qualifying tournament before they host the same team in a reverse clash next Wednesday.
Their other qualifiers are away to Congo in Pointe-Noire and a final group game against South Africa all in November.
“We are aware of the task ahead and so we have resolved to work hard to pick the available 12 points in our remaining qualifiers,” said England-based defender Omeruo, who was among the 17 players who trained in Abuja yesterday morning ahead of Saturday’s crunch clash in Sudan.
“You can see the response of the boys in the first day of training, it speaks loud of our intention ahead of the games. All we ask of Nigerians is their support and confidence in the team.
“We know there are no minnows anymore in African football.”
Meanwhile, Twelve foreign-based professionals and five players from the domestic league trained in Abuja Tuesday morning ahead of an AFCON qualifier in Sudan this weekend.
The players included Chelsea star Mikel Obi, Vincent Enyeama, Kenneth Omeruo, Hope Akpan, Aaron Samuel, Nosa Igiebor, Emmanuel Emenike and Elderson Echeijile.
Others are Austin Ejide, Ogenyi Onazi, Babatunde Michael, Efe Ambrose, Ighodaro Osagouna, Gbolahan Salami and Chigozie Agbim.
The training was staged on the astro turf of the FIFA Goal Project as Saturday’s match in Sudan will be played on such a surface now.
However, coach Stephen Keshi has asked that the team fly out to Sudan on chartered flight to avoid fatigue for the players.
A commercial flight would mean the Eagles will most likely stop over in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and only arrive in Sudan the night before the Saturday showdown.

Super Eagles’ Nnamdi Oduamadi (12) sandwiched by two Congolese opponents,during Nigeria’s first 2015 AFCON qualifier in Calabar