The Nigerian national football team, known as the Super Eagles had secured their spot in the next AFCON, which will be held in Cote D’Ivoire.
The Super Eagles made a strong start as Victor Osimhen, the striker from Napoli and Serie A, scored two goals in the 19th and 32nd minutes, giving Nigeria a comfortable 2-0 lead. However, Mustapha Bundu managed to pull one back for the host team just before halftime.
In the second half, the hosts came out determined to level the score and were rewarded with an equalizer from Augustus Kargbo in the 84th minute. The match seemed to be heading towards a draw until Kelechi Iheanacho, the striker from Leicester City, scored a late winner, eliminating Sierra Leone from the AFCON qualifiers even with more games to be played.
After the match, the Super Eagles coach expressed his satisfaction to the press, stating, “We deserved to win, but it was a difficult and highly competitive match. Our team is the best in the group, and we did a fantastic job against a strong opponent. I’m proud of my players and congratulate them.”
Regarding the changes he made during the game, the Portuguese coach mentioned, “I made some substitutions to improve the team’s performance. Aribo was tired and had to be replaced, and I wanted to provide others with the opportunity to fight until the last minute.”
When asked about potential changes in the final qualifier against São Tomé and Príncipe, he replied, “If I keep changing the team all the time, it will be difficult to maintain good organization. We had only five days to prepare for this game, so I needed to select the right players. However, the door to the Super Eagles is open for everyone.”
With 12 points from five matches, the Super Eagles currently occupy the top position in Group A, while Sierra Leone is in third place with five points from the same number of games. Guinea-Bissau sits in second place with 10 points from five matches, and São Tomé and Príncipe is at the bottom with a single point from five games.
Nigeria’s next match will be against São Tomé and Príncipe on September 4 at the Abuja National Stadium.
