Nigeria/Sierra Leone: Super Eagles Look Beyond Sierra Leone

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This Day (Lagos)

10 October 2008
Posted to the web 10 October 2008

Tunde Sulaiman
Lagos

Nigeria's Super Eagles are looking beyond the threat from tomorrows, foes Sierra Leone to the final round of the race for tickets to Angola and South Africa in 2010.

Although the players spoken to insisted they will not be underrating the side they beat 1-0 in Freetown, they all appeared more focused on the final round.

Striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni set the ball rolling by telling THISDAYSports that the match was very important because it was an opportunity for them to prepare for the final round of the qualification series.

"We're not looking at the fact that we've already qualified. We need to avoid complacency because no team can be underrated. Besides we also need to work hard to prepare for the final round because that is when the real battle begins," said the Everton striker.

Speaking along the same lines defender Taye Taiwo said the spirit in camp was very high and the players had agreed not to look down on their foes tomorrow.

"We need to use the game to prepare for the final race. We may have already qualified but that doesn't mean we won't like to keep our record intact," said the Marseille defender who reports indicate may soon be on the verge of big money move to the Premiership.

For returnee goalkeeper Austin Ejide, the fact that he was back in the national team after recovering from injury was something he needed to Praise the Lord for.

"I'm happy to be back and I must thank God for being able to recover properly from the injury," said Nigeria's first choice safe hands at Ghana 2008.

"I've been doing well in training and by the Grace of God I will be able to reclaim my position in the team. But whether I play or not I'm delighted to be back. I can't see Sierra Leone beating us here."

Re-enforcing his team mates' positions, skipper Nwankwo Kanu said the Super Eagles will not compromise the desire to pick three points tomorrow.

"It is all about what you want very much. In a football match, the points go to the team that wants to win the most. We have the biggest motivation to win because it will be good for us to be seeded for the third and final phase beginning next year.

"We are surely not resting on our oars. It's a race and it has just started."

Nigeria, with 15 points, will stand a great chance of being seeded for the third and final phase of the qualifiers if she finishes with 18. The Eagles already have 14 points from finishing seventh at the last African Cup of Nations in Ghana and are now fourth on the list of African teams in the FIFA ranking.

The Draw Ceremony for the third and final phase of the qualifiers will take place in South Africa on October 25. All the top-placed teams in the 12 groups will be joined by the best eight second-placed teams, for the Draw, which will split the 20 teams into five groups of four teams each.

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