NFF plots Bafana Bafana fall!

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has declared that the Cameroon 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Bafana Bafana of South Africa is a must win for Nigeria.

Speaking in his Abuja office, General Secretary of the NFF, Sanusi Mohammed, said the Super Eagles need to win this match to start the campaign on a very bright and promising note.

He said the ‘must win’ declaration of the NFF on the match does not translate to any form of ultimatum to the coach and players rather a way to ginger them up and make them know the importance of the match.

We are not thinking of anything less than resounding victory against the South African team. We want to maintain our clean sheet and again have a very bright start in the AFCON qualifiers,” he said.

He maintained that the Super Eagles have added advantage over their South African opponents having played series of international friendly games with great results.

Sanusi further declared that the two matches played recently in France against Corsica Island and Togo that ended in favour of the Super Eagles will pep the players up and moreover, it is the same players that will be unleashed on the Bafana Bafana on Saturday.
Sanusi recalled how the South Africa team came to Nigeria in November 2014 and almost ran away with victory in the Equatorial Guinea 2015 AFCON qualifier which Nigeria eventually failed to qualify for.

He insisted that the outcome of that match is still fresh on the minds of Nigerians who would want a sweet revenge.

Meanwhile, former Nigerian captain and forward, Segun Odegbami has said there will not be any acceptable excuse for Nigeria not to be at the upcoming 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroun.

Odegbami said South Africa or any other African country should not be a force to stop Nigeria from participating at the arena of the best footballing nations in the continent.

It’s abnormal and totally unacceptable that one of the richest countries in the continent in terms of natural talents should not be at any Africa Cup of Nations.

And that we have not been at the championship in the past two editions is absolutely unacceptable and no excuse that we all should cover our faces in shame.

South Africa cannot stop us from qualifying for the next 2019 Africa Cup of Nation in Cameroun. In fact, no country in Africa should dare stop us particularly now we have more participants in the championship than the initial eight.

Right now we parade the largest number of Europe-based players, young and talented than any other African countries,” said Odegbami.

Nigeria’s other Group E opponents are the North African side, Libya and Seychelles. The group’s winner are guaranteed automatic slot for the 2019 AFCON in Cameroun.