BY IKENWA ASHIBUOGWU NNABUOGOR
The final stages of the Eagles’ desperate push to the tripartite soccer agreement in the USA, Canada and Mexico are here again on Friday against Lesotho’s Likuena in Polokwane, South Africa for the first of the final rounds of the qualifiers.
Embattled Super Eagles return to South Africa to push their steps forward while expecting closest group rivals Benin and South Africa to stumble to brighten the chances of qualifying for the World Cup.
Massive steps birthing three points it would be, should Eagles claim the scalps of the Southern Africans to inch closer to the World Cup.
But with the difficult caveat that Benin and South Africa would give up their maximum points. How possible? Anything can happen in football these days, though…
The maximum points in Polokwane as golden as they would seem to be, will only boast Eagles’ confidence to go for broke in final rounds four days after should Benin and South Africa falter.
Benin are ahead on superior goals above South Africa atop the log in Group C and will rather die on the pitch rather than lose to Rwanda away from home.
Eagles’ headaches will only double should Benin lose to fire Rwanda to 14 points if the result doesn’t go Eagles’ way in Polokwane.
Confirming their tickets back home to Lagos will make huge headlines in South Africa and Benin as the mighty Eagles would amount to taking two steps backwards and falling.
Eagles’ more familiar nemesis in the group, South Africa, travel away to “home” at nearby Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, to engage Zimbabwe and it appears the results will be on the Bafana Bafana’s bag.
Eagles will hope and expect the god of soccer to be Nigerian on the day where result will only blow them good winds and harsh on Benin and South Africa.
Likuena, beneficiaries of the awarded three points for South Africa’s breaching of the FIFA laws will surely be tough customers to Eagles.
They shocked Eagles in the reverse tie last year in Uyo, even scoring first to force embattled Eagles to a difficult 1-1 draw.
Not only targeting winning the game in Polokwane but winning well on high score margin will only be advantageous to Eagles in the long run.
Benin are on plus four on goals difference, two better than South Africa in second place and should both lose their respective games and Eagles win, the group goes to their wire in the final group ties.
Eagles will be home to Benin in Uyo on Tuesday and South Africa remain at home at Mbombela Stadium to entertain Rwanda and the results determine who heads to the Mundial solely on goals difference.
Eagles will only take one step forward and two steps backwards should results fail to go their ways.
Copyright © 2020 Totorinews.com All rights reserved. The information contained in Totorinews.com may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without giving due credit to Totorinews.com as the source.
