By Victor Enyinnaya, Uyo on November 12, 2016

The Super Eagles of Nigeria kick started her 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier campaign coming up in Russia, in Ndola, Zambia against the Chipolopolo, on October 6, and caused an upset right in front of the homers fans in that South African country.

Today, November 12, the Eagles are entangled in a crunchy tie, a second in the series of the qualifiers against perennial rival, the Desert Foxes of Algeria in what the bookmakers, pundits and commentators have described as a litmus test for Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr. The Rohr tutored squad will lock horns against the mean Algerians who are so desperate to play themselves back into reckoning in the series after drawing at home against Cameroun in their opening game in Algiers. The big match has different meaning to different people. For Nigerian fans, it is a must win affair despite its rough and tough nature. According to them, Nigeria has the materials to execute it conclusively.

Rohr had admitted that much still needed to be done on the national team to get it ready for the task of qualifying for the Russia 2018 World Cup football summit. But he added that the task has been made easy by the abundance of talents available to him. That is sermon from the Franco-German technical hand who has been working round the clock to get the team together.

The German admits that it would take the Eagles sometime to get back their rhythm, explaining, “a team that failed to qualify for AFCON needs confidence, and the confidence is coming back gradually, and it is delightful.”

This will be one of the many times the teams will tackle each other in supremacy battle in the build up to grab a ticket for the major football tournament in 2018. For the records, Nigeria has better record over their day’s opponent and would stop at nothing to compound the woes of the over ambitious and tricky visitors.

This time around, both teams will be gunning to get the sole ticket for the global fiesta to be hosted by Russia for the first time. Aside injuries from Carl Ikeme and Isaac Success, the team is ready, and in high spirit.

Rohr will be guiding the national team for the third time after a successful 1-0 win against the Taifa Stars of Tanzania in the 2017 formality AFCON qualifier in Uyo and Chipolopolo of Zambia in group B opening of the World Cup qualifier in Ndola, October 6. Today’s, battle front is at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The French-German tactician will be aspiring to record his third clean slate show with his new team, as well as winning his second home game. Rohr said it’s all when he advised the team on the need to redouble its efforts despite being grounded. The focus, concentration and precise execution at goal must be uppermost.

The Algerians are not resting on their oars either, preparing and talking tough too using every means to see how far they can go in Nigeria with this all important game that will either steady them in the group or put them in tighter corner.

Our Super Eagles on the other hand are planning to make amends and put smiles on the faces of their teeming fans with a win again over the Algerians, thereby sending strong signal of their no nonsense mood for the group B sole World Cup ticket at the expense of Zambia, Algeria and Cameroon.

Already, Algeria’s ex-international, Belloum said his country could win in Nigeria insisted that their failure to  stop Cameroun in Algiers won’t deter them from beating Nigeria in their 2018 World Cup qualifier in our soil in Uyo. According to him, the Foxes have depth and no respecter of any home advantage. He posited that the combination of Riyadh Mahrez and Islam Slimani must signal to Nigeria the danger ahead as both meet today.

The tricky Mahrez wands his magic from the right and he combines with the aerial power of Simani to restore parity. Nigeria has theirs too. There will be no dull moment today because both teams parade some of the bests in the continent today.

Despite the fact that injury is taking its toll on the key players of the visitors, Eagles must be focused and not distracted by such antics of media report. This one game must win to fortify our hold on the top spot in the group.

It would be recalled the crafty Foxes were held to a 1-1 draw by the Indomitable Lions of Cameroun in October opening group qualifier. The result saw them placing third in Group B, behind Nigeria, Cameroun.

But the Foxes players in unionism said they have recovered in time from the qualifier miscalculations against Cameroun and in dangerous mood for the Super Eagles. According confirmed reports, “We can’t afford a loss. We can’t also lose hope before the second game is played. The coaches have the belief; while the players have affirmed.” The Nigerian side should never doubt such declaration.

Vigilance must be the watch word for the Eagles as they set the tone for the big show down. I know the Nigerian won’t under rate the Warriors from North Africa, like the Pharaohs of Egypt, the Foxes are equally slippery. Eagles knew and must be up in arms to evolve effective antidote to it swiftly. Algeria is a team Eagles would not hesitate to attack frontally.

The Algerians have also thumbed up the level of job done so far by the new coach on their team. “The current coach has done a good job thus far bringing back the confidence level of the team.  It was solid move to hire him and we believe the change is deserved. We have prepared well for this high profile encounter, plan and execution would be clinical, and that’s where we are and would come in as a deadly gang. It is total ‘war’ against Nigeria. So, either way, we have to be ready,” the Foxes players were quoted to have declared.

Some of the Super Eagles players boasted that victory is assured against the Algerians, and are also optimistic that the ticket is already theirs. Looking at the latest FIFA monthly ranking which moved Nigeria four places up, to place 62 could be an added advantage to the Super Eagles, but some analysts and enthusiasts say that the ranking was just mere formality, that the most important thing is for the national side to pick the maximum points in Uyo, as a further morale boaster for the team ahead of their other threaten showpiece with Cameroon.

Super Eagles goalkeeper Carl Ikeme is out and Akpeyi is in to establish himself. He has been speaking on goalkeeping and the team, he said he is determined. Attention is on the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Algeria in Uyo today. The South African based safe gloves will become an integral part of the squad if he decisively announces his strong arrival via superlative performance.

Rohr has shown strength of character since he was unveiled. The players he will file out against the stubborn Algeria are our best presently and happily are equally eager to export their talents to the World Cup stage belief and quest for hunger will therefore make them go all out to clinch victory in order to maintain strong, steady and upwardly mobile movement in the ongoing Russia 2018 World qualification series.

•Photo shows Super Eagles second choice goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, who has a duty to stop the rampaging Algerians this evening in Uyo. 

Source Daily Sports

Posted November 12, 2016

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