Super Eagles eye 35th FIFA World Cup qualifying unbeaten record
Nigeria’s Super Eagles go up against the Fennecs of Algeria in Constantine on Friday with a determination to finish the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia qualifying campaign unbeaten.
Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr and Skipper Mikel John Obi said this much on Thursday evening, as the squad welcomed Nigeria’s Ambassador to Algeria, His Excellency Demenongu Agev at the Hotel Novotel in Constantine.
“It is true that a team cannot win all the time, but we will give our very best on Friday. There are some players who have been eager to get opportunity to play and some of them will get the opportunity on Friday, and I am sure they will not disappoint.
“We already have the FIFA World Cup ticket but we have prepared for this match in the same way we prepared for the previous matches in the qualifying series,” said Rohr.
Skipper Mikel Obi, who will win his 80th cap for Nigeria if selected to play at the Stade Mohamed Hamlaoui, said the team is focused on finishing the race without a loss.
“We don’t want to lose any match; we will go to the field looking for a win. Matches between Nigeria and Algeria are always big, and we cannot afford to take things for granted.”
Should the Eagles avoid defeat on Friday, they would have stretched their FIFA World Cup qualifying unbeaten record to 35 matches, dating back to June 2004 when they lost by a late goal to Angola in Luanda.
That defeat proved costly in the race to Germany 2006, as Angola flew to Germany on the basis of head-to-head principle (following a 1-1 draw in Kano) even as the Eagles finished with better goals advantage.
