A cross-section of football enthusiasts in Aba has said that they expect a big win from the Super Eagles against the visiting South Africans on Friday in the ongoing World Cup qualifier.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Super Eagles will on Friday, in group C, play host to South Africa’s national team, inside the Godswill Akpabio Stadium Uyo, Akwa Ibom.
Speaking in an interview, Ikechukwu Okoro, an Enyimba International FC of Aba supporter, predicted “nothing less than 2-0” against the visitors.
Okoro said he was confident in the Eagles’ team, “due to the calibre of players invited to camp”.
According to him, the squad is made up of youths with experience and talents.
“This is the kind of selection we have been yearning for because all these things have a role to play in football as an action game.
“We need to give the young players a chance and to utilise the third force in a game of this nature and in that regard expose them to high profile matches,” he said.
Coach Godwin Uduma of United Academy FC of Aba said he was expecting nothing less than a win from the Eagles.
“I am expecting the Eagles to win the match to raise their hope of going to the Mundial because their position at the moment is not encouraging.
“I trust Coach Finidi George and I believe that he has the capacity to deliver the needed result.
“My humble advise to the team is to play the match as if it was their final because there are no more pushover teams in African football,” Uduma said.
Also, Pius Ogadimma expressed satisfaction with the coach’s selection and urged him to give the home-based players a chance to play.
“Our first target should be to qualify for the World Cup but in doing that, we should also develop players who have long time to stay in the team,” he said
Another football enthusist, Maureen Onyekwere, warned the players not to underestimate their opponent and recalled how Ghana denied Nigeria World Cup slot in the last edition.
She said that all that mattered in the match was a win, notwithstanding the scoreline.
He, however, urged the team to score as many goals as possible “because goals may count on the final day”.
NAN reports that Nigeria occupy third position in the group with two points, while South Africa occupy second position with three points, after two matches, respectively.(NAN)