Chelle targets strong start in Nations Cup qualifiers
Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has urged his players to kickstart the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on a winning note against Madagascar on Friday.
Nigeria will open their campaign against Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Friday before facing Guinea-Bissau on Tuesday.
“We have to show everyone from Day One that we want it, and the only way to do that is to go for it with our hearts and refuse to slow down at any point. We must go for the points without any hesitation,”
The Eagles fly to Bissau on Sunday for a Day 2 encounter against the Wild Dogs slated for the 24 September Stadium on Tuesday, 29th September.
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Nigeria will welcome back dependable defender Ola Aina and utility youngster Benjamin Fredricks, as well as forward Taiwo Awoniyi, who has been drafted in to replace Victor Osimhen.
Friday’s clash with the Barea will stir memories of interesting past encounters between the two countries at senior level.
At this same stage, 16 years ago (commencement of an AFCON qualification race), the Super Eagles defeated the Barea 2-0 in Calabar on 5th September 2010. A year later, in the reverse fixture in Antananarivo, the Eagles won by the same margin.
However, the Barea caused one of the biggest upsets in AFCON history by defeating Nigeria 2-0 in a group phase match in Alexandria, Egypt in 2019.
