Federal Capital Territory Football Association (FCTFA) chairman, Mohammed Adam Mouktar is confident that the Super Eagles would do everything to ensure that Nigeria qualify for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup at the expense of Ghana’s Black Stars.
Both West African sides would meet today at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi for the first leg of the two-legged play-off with the reverse fixture coming up on Tuesday at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja.
Though the versatile Mouktar admitted that the match is too close to call, he enthused that the Super Eagles are well equipped to scale the hurdle and earn Nigeria her seventh FIFA World Cup appearance.
Nigeria made her debut at the USA’1994 finals and have qualified for every other editions of the quadriennial event bar the 2006 edition held in Germany.
“ I feel as usual will be a difficult match especially a lot is at stake but I feel we have superior firepower and the players all want to be at the World cup so I am sure we will do the needful,” Mouktar told NationSport.
Pressed to hazard a guess about the likely outcome of the encounter, Mouktar said the Super Eagles should be able to grind at least a 1-1 draw in today’s encounter in Kumasi , adding the well- equipped attacking line of Victor Osimhen and Odion Ighalo should be able to spank the Black Stars 3-0 in Abuja on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, former captain of Black Stars Asamoah Gyan has taunted Nigerian fans , describing the Super Eagles as “favourites on paper’ ahead of today’s Qatar 2022 World Cup play-off against Black Stars of Ghana.
He, however, said that the unpredictability of the tie involving the two West African neighbours makes it the best in the region.
“Ghana and Nigeria games you cannot predict, it is about the mentality and preparation and that’s how one wins. Ghana and Nigeria have had their rivalry long ago,” the former Sunderland of England striker said. “Honestly on paper right now, when you look at the static, they are ahead of Ghana a bit on paper.”
Also, Black Stars Management Committee Member Samuel Osei Kuffour said that Ghana has a psychological advantage over Nigeria going into today’s all-important match.
“I was playing that game in 2006, they beat us 1-0 at AFCON, and from then, they never get any chance to beat us. We always win against them.
“Psychologically, we have the advantage. In this case, when you look on paper, they are much better than us play-to-player but when you look into details of Ghana-Nigeria, the history, we are ahead of them,” the former Bayern Munich defender said.