A total of six players have scored Nigeria’s 10 goals so far in the qualifying race for the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup finals. Chelsea FC of England’s Victor Moses has top –scored with three goals, two of them against Algeria’s Fennecs in Uyo in November 2016 (the first and third goals) and the other (the third goal) in the 4-0 whitewash of Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions also in Uyo last month.
Captain Mikel Obi has scored twice, also both at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium. He netted the second goal against Algeria in November 2016 and also the second against Cameroon last month.
Forward Kelechi Iheanacho has also scored two goals, the first being the second goal against Zambia in Ndola in October 2016 and the second being the final goal in the 4-0 defeat of Cameroon in Uyo last month.
Other scorers are Arsenal FC of England’s Alex Iwobi (who scored Nigeria’s first goal of the series, in the defeat of Zambia in Ndola in October 2016); Odion Ighalo who scored the opener against African champions Cameroon last month in Uyo and; Belgium –based Moses Simon whose goal shot the Eagles ahead against Cameroon in Yaounde last month.
All six players are available for selection against the Zambians on Saturday.
NIGERIA & ZAMBIA AT SENIOR LEVEL
15 July 1973: Zambia 5 Nigeria 1 – Lusaka (AFCON Qualifier)
29 July 1973: Nigeria 3 Zambia 2 – Lagos (AFCON Qualifier)
14 Feb 1976: Zambia 1 Nigeria 3 – Lusaka (Friendly)
10 Mar 1978: Zambia 0 Nigeria 0 – Accra (AFCON)
25 July 1981: Zambia 3 Nigeria 0 – Lusaka (Friendly)
13 Mar 1982: Zambia 3 Nigeria 0 – Benghazi (AFCON)
10 Aug 1985: Nigeria 0 Zambia 0 – Lagos (AFCON Qualifier)
18 Aug 1985: Zambia 1 Nigeria 0 – Lusaka (AFCON Qualifier)
12 Mar 1990: Zambia 0 Nigeria 2 – Annaba (AFCON S-F)
10 Apr 1994: Zambia 1 Nigeria 2 – Tunis (AFCON Final)
15 Dec 1997: Zambia 2 Nigeria 0 – Lusaka (Friendly)
18 Dec 1997: Zambia 0 Nigeria 0 – Kitwe (Friendly)
13 Jan 2001: Nigeria 1 Zambia 0 – Lagos (AFCON Qualifier)
24 Mar 2001: Zambia 1 Nigeria 1 – Chingola (AFCON Qualifier)
6 Jan 2010: Zambia 0 Nigeria 0 – Durban (Friendly)
25 Jan 2010: Zambia 0 Nigeria 0 (4-5 penalties) – Lubango (AFCON)
15 Nov 2011: Nigeria 2 Zambia 0 – Kaduna (Friendly)
25 Jan 2013: Nigeria 1 Zambia 1 – Nelspruit (AFCON)
9 Oct 2016: Zambia 1 Nigeria 2 – Ndola (World Cup Qualifier)