Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa, has stressed that he and his team-mates are aware of the significance of Friday’s 2023 African Cup of Nations qualifier (AFCON) against Guinea-Bissau at the MKO Abiola stadium in Abuja.
Nigeria have the opportunity to make it three wins in three qualification matches when they take on the Djurtus and a victory will guarantee them a step closer to securing qualification for the continental football showpiece next year after Sierra Leone and Sao Tome and Principe played out a 2-2 draw in their Group A contest on Wednesday.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference on Thursday, the Sivasspor forward promised that the outcome would not be like the 2022 World Cup play-off against Ghana in Abuja.
On that very occasion, the Super Eagles played out a 1-1 draw with Ghana, having also shared the spoils in a goalless stalemate with the Black Stars at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi a few days earlier.
And following their draw with the Ghanaians in Abuja, the aggregate scoreline of the play-off was 1-1 with the Black Stars eventually qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar on away goals rule.
“We all know the importance of the game, so we are not going to take that easy because we know the opponents, we played them at the AFCON (2021), so we are not going easy at all.
“And we are playing at home. Insha Allah, we are going to win the game to take one more step towards the AFCON.” Musa also spoke about the attitude of his colleagues ahead of the clash.
“Nobody will forget that game (playoff against Ghana) because it was not easy for us,” the Super Eagles skipper said. “We know what Nigerians always want, so we have to qualify, there is nothing we can do.
“We all know the importance of the game. The team would want to prove difficult but we are at home, so we have to give our best to make Nigerians happy.
“Because as you can see, everything is happening and it is only football that makes us happy. So we have to do our best to make them (Nigerians) happy.
“We know the hardship that is currently going on in the country and football is the only thing that unites Nigerians. We want to make them happy.”
