A former striker within the Tremendous Eagles, Benedict Akwuegbu has expressed optimism that the Nigerian nationwide staff can nonetheless qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Sports247 studies.
Though he admitted that the Eagles are in a really tight spot, as they lie seven factors behind high positioned South Africa and fourth on the log with simply two matches left to play, Akwuegbu insists all hope just isn’t misplaced.
Nonetheless, the Scotland ’89 FIFA U17 World Cup revelation conceded that an automated qualification ticket is now past the Eagles, and reasoned that they should take the lengthy route of the play-offs for one of the best 4 second positioned international locations.
Akwuegbu enthused, “I’m optimistic that we are able to nonetheless make it. We are able to get second place and scale by means of the play-off to qualify.”
He then turned his consideration on causes behind the Eagles’ struggles, however opined that the staff’s woes began a few years in the past and pressured that the present management of Nigeria Soccer Federation (NFF) shouldn’t be blamed for the nation’s present sordid qualification quest.
Akwuegbu posited, “All people shouldn’t be pointing fingers on the NFF. They need to as an alternative consider what occurred six years again.
“It’s a must to consider historical past and ask why the staff is the place it’s as we speak. The present NFF individuals are making an attempt to sort things. So, let’s see the way it goes. However I’m nonetheless optimistic that we are able to make it to subsequent 12 months’s World Cup.”
Sports247 provides that Nigeria’s hopes of qualification proceed hanging by the steadiness, as they have to win away to Lesotho and defeat the present second positioned Benin Republic so as to get any probability of choosing a play-off spot subsequent month.
Although Nigerians proceed praying for FIFA to deduct South Africa three factors, Bafana Bafana may nonetheless clinch high spot within the group by profitable their final two matches – at house in opposition to Rwanda and ‘away’ to Zimbabwe on their very own house soil.
