An emphatic an 4-0 victory against a rather subdued Indomitable Lions of Cameroon at the Uyo International Stadium has left Nigerians upbeat about the chances of the Super Eagles qualification for the 2018 Russia World Cup. After 3 games, Nigeria currently tops the group with an impressive 9 points having won all their matches.
With Zambia squaring up against Algeria at home in the first leg of the double header fixture, Nigerians prayed and hoped that both teams would play out a stalemate as the Super Eagles travel to Yaounde for the return leg of their fixture against Cameroon; but it was not to be. Zambia started the game the better side and soon went ahead in the 7minute and wasted no time in adding a second before the half time whistle with both goals coming from Brian Nwila. Algeria started the second half the better side and got a goal for their troubles before Zambia (the home team) had a man sent off after a second bookable offence. Algeria then piled more pressure but the Zambian defence stood firm as they added a third goal from a counter attacking move to make it 3-1 at the death, living the Algerians devastated.
With this win, Zambia climbs to second in group B and here’s what the group currently looks like after 3 games:
| Teams | Won | Drawn | Lost | GD | Points |
| Nigeria | 3 | 0 | 0 | +7 | 9 |
| Zambia | 1 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 4 |
| Cameroon | 0 | 2 | 1 | -4 | 2 |
| Algeria | 0 | 1 | 2 | -4 | 1 |
With 9 points left to fight for it is safe to say that Nigeria and Zambia are in pole position to clinch the only World Cup slot in group B. The Super Eagles will travel to face Cameroon on Monday for the return leg of Friday’s fixture before playing Zambia in Nigeria later in October. Zambia on the other hand, have two away fixtures as they travel to face Algeria in Algiers in a few days time before travelling down to Nigeria in October. Irrespective of what The Chipolopolo of Zambia do in their remaining fixtures, the Super Eagles of Nigeria can seal World Cup qualification with 4 points from those two games before their last match away to Algeria.
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If the Super Eagles are to qualify without banking on other results in the group what they must not do is lose any of their remaining 3 fixtures as they would have taken points off their closest rival, Zambia by doing so.
