AFCONQ: Don’t underrate Madagascar, Tanzania; Eguavoen urges Eagles
The Nigeria Football Federation technical director, Austine Eguavoen has urged the Super Eagles players to be focused to ensure they qualify for the 2027 Nations Cup in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
The draws for the tournament’s qualifiers were announced on Tuesday in Egypt, and Eric Chelle’s side will battle it out with Tanzania, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau in Group L.
The 48 participating teams were drawn into 12 groups of four teams each, with the top two teams from every group qualifying for the tournament scheduled for June 19 to July 17, 2027.
The former Super Eagles coach has urged the team to keep their focus while refuting claims that it is an easy group for Nigeria.
He said: “A lot of people think it’s an easy group, but I don’t think so.
“However, considering our pedigree and our performance at the last AFCON, where we did brilliantly well, I believe we can scale through.
“We just have to approach it one game at a time.
“I remember Guinea-Bissau gave us a run for our money. They are not a bad side at all.
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“When Jose Peseiro was in charge, it was also a very tight game, although we eventually overcame them,”
He also warned the team not to underrate Madagascar and Tanzania.
Eguavoen concluded: “Tanzania will also be stubborn opponents. We met them at the last AFCON, and they were tough in the first 15 to 20 minutes before we eventually came out on top.
“I still believe we will qualify, but it is going to be a very tough group.”
The Super Eagles finished third at the 2025 Nations Cup in Morocco after defeating Egypt 1-0 in the third place match.
Nigeria have won the African Cup of Nations three times in 1980, 1994 and 2013.
The tournament will mark the first AFCON to be hosted by three countries and the first to be staged in East Africa since 1976.
