Francis Ajuonuma
Leceister City midfield lynchpin, Wilfred Ndidi yesterday led 20 other invited players in Super Eagles’ first training session in Tangier, Morocco as they intensify preparation ahead of Saturday’s Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Lone Stars of Liberia.

Also in the training session were, captain Ahmed Musa, Kelechi Iheanacho, Daniel Akpeyi, Chidera Ejuke, newly signed Watford of England goalkeeper; Maduka Okoye, Chidozie Awaziem, Leon Balogun, William Ekong, Alex Iwobi, Frank Onyeka, Jamilu Collins and Ola Aina amongst others, while the likes of Victor Osimhen, Odion Ighalo and newly –drafted goalkeeper John Noble were being expected in the camp, as at lunchtime yesterday.

The Super Eagles had a gym session at the hotel in the morning and were scheduled to train in the evening at the Grand Stade de Tangier (also known as Stade Ibn Batouta), a 45,000 –capacity facility that was opened in April 2011 but which will, sadly, be empty when Nigeria and Liberia tackle each other for three precious points on Saturday.

‘Hosts’ Liberia have made no move to get the Confederation of African Football to approve crowd attendance at the Day 5 game.

The Super Eagles, who presently top in Group C, need all three points from the encounter with the Lone Stars in order to stay in contention for the knockout phase of the World Cup qualifiers, scheduled to hold in March 2022. Only the group winners will progress to the knockout phase that will be a home-and-away exercise to produce Africa’s five flagbearers in Qatar.

Cape Verde’s Blue Sharks, who hosts Central African Republic in Mindelo on Saturday, have seven points and will be hoping the Super Eagles stumble in North Africa.

However, the Super Eagles have scaled the hurdle in their last three major qualifying campaigns with matches to spare, and are confident they could reach the knockout round before the final day of the qualifiers by beating Liberia, and hoping Cape Verde are unhinged on home soil by the Beasts.

Yobe Gov. inaugurates 21-member education appeal fund committee

Nigeria reached the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals with a match to spare; a feat repeated in the qualifying series for the 2019 AFCON. For the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon, the Super Eagles qualified with two matches to spare.

Meanwhile, the delegation of Liberia’s Lone Stars also arrived in Tangier on Monday with three goalkeepers, seven defenders, seven midfielders and five forwards.

The Lone Stars, bottom of Group C of the African series with three points, have a very remote chance of qualifying even though they play their final two matches at ‘home’ in Tangier, which is the venue they opted for as home ground after CAF ruled that there is no venue in the whole of Liberia fit and proper to host international matches.

Nigeria, already have nine points; the maximum that the Lone Star can amass in this campaign if they win their last two matches. But the Super Eagles have a home game against second-placed Cape Verde next week Tuesday in Lagos.

After the day 5 game against the three-time African champions, the Lone Star will remain in Tangier for their final game of the campaign, against the Wild Beasts of Central African Republic, also on Tuesday next week.

How NASS gave the nod to e-transmission, direct primaries

Cape Verde’s Blue Sharks, with seven points, are at home to the Beasts on the island of Mindelo, hoping to garner another three points that could make the final Group C encounter with Nigeria in Lagos a cliff-hanger.