The Super Eagles of Nigeria face Leopards of DR Congo on Sunday in the second of their three possible finals towards actualising a back-door qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
A convincing extra-time win over Gabon in Rabat on Thursday has enforced the Eagles as favourites to win the first World Cup qualifying playoffs in Africa in fifty years and give themselves a slot in a final game in Mexico next year.
Nigeria, not for the first time in their World Cup qualification history, have once again turned on the heat in the latter stages of qualification for world’s biggest football competition in a bid to achieve qualification for a seventh time.
ACLSports Chief Football Writer, Fisayo Dairo pens this Classic Preview for the much anticipated game.
HELLO DESTINY
Over the years, Football has tended to serve some results which could only be explained away as being destined to happen.
From Denmark’s Euro ‘92 triumph to the Dream Team’s Gold in Atlanta ‘96 then down to Manchester United’s treble in 1999 and Chelsea’s Champions League win in 2012 – these teams rode their luck and braved unfathomed circumstances.
Life seems to have offered Nigeria’s Super Eagles a wildcard to next year’s World Cup. Now, the team that was few seconds away from elimination on the day of final group stage games now stand 180 minutes away from having the green and white flag hoisted in North America next summer.
To get to Sunday’s African final, Nigeria, who were the last among the four qualified teams outclassed Gabon – the best among the four – to further reinforce the belief that football is not necessarily reward system.
THE OSIMHEN (X) FACTOR
The Cambridge dictionary defines X Factor as an indescribable quality that makes someone special. That’s what Victor Osimhen is to the current Nigerian team in words and in deed.
It is not a coincidence that the games the Super Eagles have won in this qualification series had Victor Osimhen starting all of them. Such is his influence and indispensability to the team and the head coach Eric Chelle.
Osimhen has now grown to become one of the best strikers in the world and that is enough to scare any team especially on the African continent. Nigerians also seem to have come to submit to the will of their Number 9.
The Galatasaray star remains odds-on favourite to add to his eight goals scored in this qualification series on Sunday and the more that happens, the likelier the Super Eagles celebrate another victory.
MATCH DETAILS:
Match: Nigeria vs DR Congo
Venue: Prince Heritier Moulay El Hassan Stadium, Rabat
Time: 8pm Nigerian time
Referee: Jalal Jayed (Morocco)
WHERE TO WATCH:
Sunday’s match will be available on various platforms inside and outside Africa.
For online viewers in Nigeria, you can watch through this link: Nigeria vs DR Congo LIVE
Online viewers outside Nigeria can use the FIFA Plus service.
The game is also available on Cable TV as both DStv (on Channel 207) and GoTV will broadcast the match.
BONUS:
Nigeria’s two opponents in this African Playoff are two of the Super Eagles’ infrequent oppositions in Africa. The Eagles had not faced either side up to ten times each before this Playoff.
Instructively, Nigeria defeated both teams en route to their AFCON triumph in 1994 in North Africa. 31 years after and with a dreaded Number 9 (who scored in both matches then) like in 94, the Super Eagles have now decisioned Gabon by same score margin and now face the Old Zaire in the latter stage.
Life writes its own scripts.
