Former youth international goalkeeper, Bassey Akpan has added his voice to permutations ahead of Thursday’s match against Gabon at the FIFA 2026 World Cup play-offs and urged the Super Eagles to replicate the ‘huge character’ with which they recently demolished Benin Republic in Uyo.
Sports247 recalls that, against most forecasts, the Nigerian squad hammered The Cheetahs 4-0 in their last match of the regular 2026 World Cup qualifiers, and that wide margin win made it possible for them to sneak into the play-offs as the group’s second placed team behind South Africa.
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With that feat still fresh in mind, Akpan is of a view that Gabon will be taken to the cleaners should the Super Eagles show the same fighting spirit they gave against Benin Republic, who incidentally needed just a draw to get their first ever ticket to the Mundial.
Akpan declared, “I strongly believe in the Super Eagles. The character that I saw in the last game against Benin Republic was huge. Trust me, if we replicate that same character in this game against Gabon, we will beat them.”
He also shot his mind back to how the Eagles fired on all cylinders in tearing Benin Republic apart, then urged the Nigerians to show the same level of urgency, togetherness, fearsome attack and defending stoutly to sink Gabon’s ship on Thursday.
“I saw the Super Eagles show us the team that we knew them to be. That is the same character we want to see on Thursday. That’s the mentality we want.
“No nonsense, go for it with all you have. Defend well, attack with force, play together, and do all the right stuff on the field. Although I know it’s not going to be a pushover game, it’s one we should be able to win,” Akpan enthused.
