Sports
Super Eagles Back To Lagos, Prepare For Lesotho
The Super Eagles of Nigeria are back to Lagos after Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Benin Republic. The team left Porto-Novo yesterday morning through the Lagos State Waterways Authority boat with more than four vessels spotted conveying them.
The 2013 African champions headed for the Eko Hotel and Suites and resumed preparations in earnest for tomorrow’s fixture against Lesotho.
Paul Onuachu’s last-gasp header earned Nigeria a 1-0 triumph over Michel Dussuyer’s side in the keenly contested game at the Stade Charles de Gaulle. A result that ended the Squirrels’ eight-year invincibility on home soil.
Having booked a ticket already for Cameroon, they will take on the Crocodiles at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in a dead-rubber fixture.
Although nothing is at stake, Nigeria would be hoping to finish their Group L qualification campaign unbeaten. Whereas, Thabo Senong’s men, who sit at the base of the table with just three points are gunning for their first win after five matches.
In the reverse fixture played at the Setsoto Stadium, Gernot Rohr’s team claimed a 4-2 win in Maseru, with Napoli’s Victor Osimhen netting a brace while Villareal’s Samuel Chukwueze and Everton’s Alex Iwobi also on target.
Lesotho got their goals through Masoabi Nkoto’s 11th minute strike plus Chidozie Awaziem’s own goal.
Meanwhile, seasoned football administrator, Samuel Olatunji-Okuku, has tasked the Super Eagles to be ‘more aggressive’ to prove their tag as giants of Africa.
“Be it friendly or competitive matches, I expect Super Eagles to be more aggressive and willing to win against every opponent,” he told news men.
“We should play more and show that we are the giant of Africa so that whoever wants to play against us should get worried. But I think we need to work more on our chance creation and goalscoring as well.
“Without sounding immodest, Nigeria has what it takes to win the Africa Cup of Nations next year.
“We just have to find a way to make sure this set of players play together, create more chances, pass the ball a little bit faster and score more. Every nation should be scared of these set of Eagles.”