African champions Nigeria will have to be at their best if they were to improve their chances of automatic qualification to next year’s AFCON when they face hosts Congo in a decisive Group A tie on Saturday. Congo are second in the standings on seven points from four matches, three points ahead of third-placed Nigeria with only the top two teams guaranteed automatic passage to the tournament proper.
The Red Devils also hold the advantage of having beaten the Super Eagles 3-2 in the first encounter in September and so Nigeria would now need to win by at least two clear goals on Saturday to shade on the head-to-head stats.
Kick-off time at the Stade Municipal in Pointe-Noire is 3.30 pm Nigerian time.
In September, Congo were the better team on the day and deserved their shock win in Calabar. They were not intimidated by the pedigree of their more illustrious hosts and even when they were 3-1 up, they kept going at the Eagles suspect defence.
Almeria forward Thievy Bifouma was the most outstanding player on the day as he netted a brace and provided the assist for his team’s opening goal.
And last weekend the pacy Bifouma again showed his class in a Spanish La Liga clash against mighty Barcelona when he scored for Almeria, who though will eventually go down to the Catalan giants 2-1 at home.
Besides the 22-year-old Bifouma, towering forward Ferebory Dore of Romanian club CFR Cluj is among the leading scorers in the qualifiers with three goals thus far.
And experienced skipper Delvin Ndinga, who missed the first clash against Nigeria in Calabar due to injury he suffered at Greek champions Olympiacos, will be available for this match.
Nigeria, on the other hand, have finally recalled Villarreal striker Ikechukwu Uche, who was at daggers drawn with coach Stephen Keshi.
Keshi had insisted the striker, who last featured for the country in the final of AFCON 2013 against Burkina Faso, was tactically not disciplined and that the player has said he has to be begged to play again for Nigeria.
Keshi himself has only just returned to his post after he was asked to step down and former Nigeria coach Shuiabu Amodu was appointed along with new assistants.
“We have the players who can do Nigeria proud in the remaining qualifier games and I know somehow we will make to the finals and retain our trophy,” said ‘Big Boss’ Keshi.
Nigeria’s Euro-based stars struggled on the artificial pitch in Sudan last month and duly lost 1-0, but Turkey-based midfielder Raheem Lawal insisted they cannot afford a repeat performance on the astro turf at the Stade Municipal in Pointe-Noire. “I am more than ready to play on any kind of pitch in Congo. We need that match more than anything now and we must be ready to give our best on any kind of pitch to win,” he said.
“Any player given the chance to represent Nigeria on that day must give everything to win the game no matter the condition.”
The knee injury of Chelsea of Mikel Obi will be re-examined and Ukraine-based Babatunde Michael has been replaced by Enyimba youngster Kingsley Sokari after he underwent a knee surgery that will sideline him for several weeks.
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