The Super Eagles will begin their quest for a place at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations when they host Madagascar in their opening qualifying fixture at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, on Friday.
The encounter, scheduled for 5 p.m., marks the start of Nigeria’s campaign for a ticket to the continental showpiece, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
The atmosphere in camp has been upbeat ahead of the clash, with players expressing confidence in the team’s ability to secure all three points against the Barea.
Fulham midfielder Alex Iwobi said the squad is fully focused on making a positive start to the qualifiers.
“Everyone is in high spirits. We are all determined to win the game. Madagascar is a good team, but we’ll beat them,” Iwobi said.
New invitee George Ilenikhena also stressed the importance of starting the campaign with a victory.
“Of course, our focus is to win the game on Friday. Nothing less than a win is good enough for us,” the forward stated.
Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali welcomed the addition of younger players to the squad, describing it as a positive development for the national team.
“It is a good thing to have some young players join the team,” Nwabali said. “It is a good thing that they also have an opportunity to play for our country.”
Winger Moses Simon also assured supporters of the team’s readiness ahead of the crucial encounter.
“Rest assured that we will put up our best to win on Friday,” Simon said.
Following the Madagascar fixture, the Super Eagles will travel to face Guinea-Bissau on September 29 in their second qualifying match before taking on Russia in an international friendly on October 6.
