By Daily Sports on October 2, 2017

Honestly, I had wanted to devote this page this week to the most critical Russia 2018 World Cup qualifying match between the Super Eagles and the tough talking Chipolopolo of Zambia in Uyo this weekend. For your information, if Nigeria wins the encounter, that will close the chapter on who picks the sole group B ticket and make our last game against Algeria later in the month a mere formality.

But there are so many issues that needed to be touched arising from last week’s topics on this page. However, I will do that next week by God’s grace. The attack dogs of Governor Abiola Isiaka Ajimobi and Gbolagade Busari, Executive Chairman of 3SC FC of Ibadan hauled insults on their principals, not me. They are immaterial as their principals have to come forward to the public with facts and figures that poor funding from Ajimobi was not the major cause of 3SC FC relegation at the end of last season.

Come along my dear readers, there is a great charity work worth highlighting on this very critical column and it is the humanitarian and social work embarked upon by the wife of the Governor of Kebbi State, Dr. Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu with her Foundation. She is current collaborating with the League Management Company (LMC) to fight and further bring to the fore the need to be wary of caner, the deadly disease that has taken a toll on human life especially in Africa. Her Foundation’s campaign to this effect remains an impeccable landmark contribution to humanity and this column would drum deep and enduring support for this philanthropic endeavour. Keep a date with us via this page.

I was at a very colourful and well attended News Express 5th Anniversary Lecture on Thursday, September 28, at Sheraton Hotels and Towers. It would remain ever green in my heart and that of numerous others that witnessed the epoch making anniversary lecture that was delivered by the Executive Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello who was surrounded by other heavyweights in the polity. To say the very least the event attracted who’s who from all walks of life. Let me again use this medium to say resounding congratulations to the unassuming Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, Isaac Umunna for that unique showpiece.   

Now, the most important football event on the minds of Nigerians is the World Cup 2018 qualifier between Nigeria and Zambia on Saturday, October 7, inside the main-bowl of the very prestigious Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo a.k.a The Nest of Champions.

The game is significant for both teams. However, Nigeria seems to need it more as host. On head to head, the Eagles are superior to the Chipolopolo. 

If you look at it from the current form, the two nations are on fire. Zambia rose from the dead into reckoning via her superlative performance at home and away against better placed Algerian team on the ongoing CAF elimination World Cup series. Since after that sterling posting, the South African region side has hit the roof, telling anybody that cares to listen that they stand a good chance of snatching the group B ticket for the World Cup showpiece coming up in Russia next year.

The players have not been alone in this optimism. The President of Federation of Zambian Football and just the other day, the Head Coach, Wedson rubbished the Eagles chance of sealing their World Cup ticket before the final qualifier games later this month in Algeria and Zambia respectively. I don’t blame them for such great and stone hearted confidence they have developed of late and have been expressing so far. To be fair to them, it is allowed in the game. However, in my candid view though, I never looked too far to grab what gave the visitors so much bearing on their claim. The game is no mathematics and also thrives on current form of players that make up the team, to every extent, mother luck and the players being on their most right frame of mind to perform.

The warfare-like strategy of Chipolopolo nearly drove fever into me despite my years on the beat but a sort of respite came my way when I read John Mikel Obi’s charge in Daily Sports that Nigeria would seal her next year’s World Cup booking in Uyo against Zambia; and charged his teammates to brace up for the worst as the cracker would be a tough and rough road to travel. I was highly relieved and got a glimmer of hope therein.

Let me recall that yes, football remains an unpredictable game. However, Eagles have maintained a clean slate among the teams in group B since they kicked-off their qualifier against the Chipolopolo in Ndola, Zambia last October. The 2-1 win the West African giants ran away with has been the source of inspiration to the young team that improves with each game. The team’s concentration level has been upbeat; and the morale in the camp at its optimum. The players have oftentimes given each other the much confidence and food for thought. They believe it is too late to let go their spirited fight for the group’s sole ticket after favourites like Algeria and Cameroun eventually fell by the wayside; they also believe that the coast has become clear for them to land in Russia for the finals.

Of further truth is that this set of Eagles has shown lots of capacity and determination. Just look at when the goalkeeping crisis hit the squad, the way and manner the team’s technical crew received and managed it and it went down the line to the rank and file of the entire side, which turned out to become great survivalist plot that killed off the Indomitable Lions that met their waterloo in Uyo last month and eventually got eliminated in Yaoundé.

The Eagles had assured new found Ikechukwu Ezenwa of adequate coverage and we saw such gang-like playing in Uyo and Yaoundé. The much needed target was achieved. And it is against this background therefore I base my assessment of the boastful Chipolopolo team. My other strong belief came off the fact that Eagles are aware of the nature and dimension this game will take and so won’t give in to complacency. Matches and results that have been achieved between both countries never came on a platter of gold. Players sweat through their pants always. The other day too as if he was re-echoing his captain’s stand, Head Coach, Gernot Rohr restated that the battle of the group ticket against the hard-hitting Zambians will be more uphill task than the one against the Cameroonians. That made our roadmap to Russia more on my mind as you read on. Both countries invited new players to fortify their squads signalling a do or die affair.

It means that the game is no joke or to be taken for granted for any reason whatsoever. To put it bluntly and straight it has entered the nerves of key players to our qualification ambition and so nothing would be taken for chance. Rohr and Mikel have spoken therefore Zambian threat won’t be treated with kid-gloves. The challenge posed by the arch rivals would be met with every brute force it deserves. From all indications, Eagles are poised to meet the invaders with every legal football tricks in their disposal.  Zambians are coming on with no empty brag. They have not been in the most prestigious football gathering on earth and this is one of the times they have come so close to realising their age long and life dream. Incidentally, Nigeria may prove to be their yet another Achilles-hill for next year’s World Cup finals showdown in Russia. Nigeria is more desperate and hungrier as all the players have vowed to get involved and collect this slot in our back yard. Again Eagles would love to be remembered as one of the teams that drew the curtain on the old format of the epic football meet in the globe and gladly ushered  in the latest for 2022 in Dubai.

How the visitors would squeeze water out of stone come October 7, remains to be seen. As they have their confidence over flowing so have their Nigerian counterparts that are yet to lose a game in the series. All things can never be equal but for once, last minute distraction would be avoided in the Nigerian camp, these Eagles know best how to nail their opponents. Such attributes as they displayed against Algeria and Cameroun at the same venue would not elude them against Chipolopolo who are hell bent on being spoilers. The Eagles must rise up decisively to the beating of the drums and seal this outright without sending some Nigerians to high blood pressure wards across the country. The tide will be high and only the more calculated, fittest, precise thinking bench and the brave would carry the day. The game looks fifty-fifty yet, the Eagles look better. Once the homers stamp out over confidence, under rating and over rating of their opponent then the stage would be set for pure football battle of wits and brawns that would ensue at the signal of the Botswana match officials in charge led by no-nonsense and articulate Bando. In my mind Eagles are ready for this tight clash of the titans.

Let me confess that this crop of players since they picked this task of seeing the country through to next year’s World Cup football summit have not put any fan on danger list. The team has risen to its billing when the chips are down. That singular track record made Nigerian fans to fully support the evolution and history chasing spirit of the squad. It is our collective belief that this critical moment won’t be an exception.  

Without any prejudice, the Zambians did extremely well in their last two games ditto the Nigerians on the other hand therefore it will be a pulsating encounter. No side will be sure of anything until the signal by the centre referee that the curtain is drawn. There won’t be any dull moment as fireworks upon fireworks so frightening would be witnessed and fans would be on the edge of their seats throughout the duration of the game. That is the scenario when two desperate teams angling for a sole right same group tango. One of the best of African football would be on the stage though it won’t be fantastic to behold or smooth as the language from both teams would easily understand is scoring goals.

Fans as usual would throng the gigantic arena in Uyo to watch and cheer goals scored not minding whether they are fluke or textbook. The ovation that greets each makes matches thicker, livelier and thrilling. The whole thing boils down to a huge, tough and talk of the town football game looming on the air of the continent that would be fully noticeable on the air spaces in Nigeria and Zambia. The Head Coach of the Chipolopolo, Wedson Nyirenda gave an insight into what is up their sleeves and their thinking about their host. Daily Sports aptly captured the mood of the visitors’ gaffer thus: cheers!

Nigeria’s tricks won’t stop Zambia says Nyirenda

Zambia coach Wedson Nyirenda is optimistic that no trick of the Super Eagles will stop his side from qualifying for next year’s World Cup in Russia.

Nyirenda said the Chipolopolo of Zambia are now the only team who stand between Nigeria and Russia 2018 after their double win against Algeria earlier this month.

Nyirenda’s team have seven points, three points less than group leaders Nigeria, and should they escape  defeat on October 7 in Uyo, they will drag the qualifiers right up to the final day of action in November, when Nigeria will be away to Algeria while Zambia hosts Cameroon.

The Zambians lost 2-1 to the Eagles in Ndola last October, but they have since enjoyed a resurgence spearheaded Cup qualification.

“No matter the tricks that Nigeria will want to use (against us), they will not sway us from the aim of booking a ticket to the World Cup,” declared the coach, whose nickname is ‘Wada’.

The coach has also read the riot act to his call-ups for a training camp of players from the domestic league, insisting no player has an automatic place in his team.

“I will not give any special treatment to anyone as every player has to prove his worth in my team,” he sounded. On Monday in Lusaka, Zambia began a training camp with 26 players from the local league in preparation for the match in Nigeria.

It is one game its echo would linger on in our memories and its celebration forth in the horizon. Let’s anchor here as discussion continues on Twitter, WhatsAPP, Linkedin and Facebook.  See you on the other side of our celebration. Keep shooting hard, till next week!

Source Daily Sports

Posted October 2, 2017

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