The Super Eagles of Nigeria will take on South Africa in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier clash at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Friday night.
As at the time of filing this report, the team has concluded preparations for the encounter with only tactical finishing touches remaining before the team takes to the magnificent edifice in the center of Uyo.
The man who has been saddled with the responsibility of getting the team’s World Cup dreams on track, Finidi George is confident that his players will give their all to grab the maximum points against South Africa.
Finidi said, “We have trained well, the players understand the task. I trust my players and their quality. It’s a must win game.
“We’re prepared for the game. The players are focused, they have really worked hard to expect victory on Friday.
“The AFCON win against South Africa is gone, this is a new game. We have our plans.
“We’ve put behind the AFCON clash in Ivory Coast. The AFCON and World Cup qualifiers are two different things. But overall, we will win”.
The former Enyimba coach said he is not scared ahead of the match, and reiterated once again that the team is all out to win tonight.
“I don’t have anything to prove. I am relaxed, it is football. I want to win, I understand the tasks. I am not scared, I played at the highest and we are going for a win.”
Three Super Eagles players were affected by the Nationwide strike on Monday, and some players arrived at the team’s camp on Tuesday and Thursday respectively, which means Finidi only had one training session with the full 23-man squad.
The 53-year-old insisted that the strike did not disrupt the team’s preparation for the match.
“The strike affected just three players, I had enough sessions with the squad,”
Meanwhile, The Super Eagles are now fourth in Group C after Benin Republic defeated Rwanda 1-0 on Thursday night.
The win propelled the Gernot Rohr-led team to second on the table on four points alongside table-toppers Rwanda.
South Africa are in the third position, while the Super Eagles occupy the fourth position. A win for Nigeria will take them to the top of the table with five points.
The match is slated for 8pm Nigerian time at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.