Tag: William Troost Ekong

Super Eagles skipper, William Troost Ekong, has hinted that the senior national team would put their full arsenal on the next two 2025 AFCON qualifiers with Libya with a view to closing in on a ticket to the next AFCON.

Ekong expressed delight at the performance of the Eagles in both games even as he  affirmed that the team is on the cusp on picking a ticket to the AFCON.

“I am proud of the team. It wasn’t an easy game. It was harder playing away from home. The pitch made decision making sometimes questionable,” Ekong told journalists. “We have experienced players who can withstand any challenge they faced.

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“We will continue. We said we want to qualify for AFCON. We are on the cusp of doing that. We will go into the next set of games with all seriousness. We want to seal the deal against Libya both home and away but now we must focus on our club assignments.”

Super Eagles midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, has urged d his teammates to be more clinical in the remaining matches of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers for the team to qualify with games to spare.

Bashiru who started both games with Benin Republic and Rwanda agreed that the Eagles were the better side but noted that their inability to convert numerous chances that came their way was  their undoing in Kigali.

“We played well. Of course it was going to be difficult playing away. They had their fans cheering them up. There were also different circumstances we had to consider,” Bashiru said. “We played well but the problem is we couldn’t finish our chances. It was why the game ended goalless. But we will take the positives from the fact that we didn’t concede. It wasn’t the result we wanted but we would take it and seek improvement in subsequent games.”

Nigeria’s Super Eagles defender William Troost Ekong has asserted that the 2025 AFCON qualifier against Benin Republic this weekend should not been seen as a war against former Nigeria’s coach, Gernot Rohr.

The Franco-German gaffer managed the Nigerian national team for  five  years between 2016 and 2021. 

The Al-Khalood of Saudi Arabia star said it was no big deal playing against Rohr and subsequently confirmed the team’s readiness for the game. 

“We’re ready for the game, playing against Gernot Rohr, a coach that knows us very well, was with us up to five years but we’ll be ready for the game”, he said.

Ekong is expected to lead the team against Benin tomorrow  in Uyo.

Meanwhile, Orlando Pirates of South Africa, defender Olisa Ndah, has made it clear that the players are unanimous in their pursuit of the three points against Beninese side. .

The former Akwa United defender returned to the team after missing out for a long time due to injury. 

The lanky defender is expected to give William Troost Ekong and Semi Ajayi a tough fight in the heart of Super Eagles defense. 

But he told journalists that the players continue to work hard to ensure the maximum points is claimed against the visitors. .

“I think it is a healthy competition and there’s a lot of great players in the team. No matter who is starting on Saturday, I think we’re committed to the team,” he said.

Morocco 2025: Eguavoen targets maximum points off Benin, Rwanda 

Interim manager Augustine Eguavoen has declared that Nigeria’s Super Eagles are raring to go for all six points available in this month’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against their counterparts from Benin Republic and Rwanda.

The reigning African vice champions clash with the Cheetahs of Benin Republic in Uyo on Saturday, 7th September and then keep a date with Rwanda’s Amavubi in Kigali three days later.

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 “Our objective is clear: to pick the six points in both matches. The players know this, and are committed to accomplishing this. The matches will not be easy; no qualifying game can be taken for granted because all the teams want to play in the finals. However, we have spoken to the players and all of us are on the same page.

“Starting with the match against Benin Republic on Saturday, nobody is mentioning anything about revenge. Our goal is three points, and then we aim for another three points in Kigali on Tuesday that will put us in good stead for qualification.”

Eguavoen has a number of stalwarts who are truly determined to appease fans and enthusiasts for missing the two FIFA World Cup qualifying matches in June, from which poor results threaten the Eagles’ chances of reaching the 2026 finals.

AFCON’s Man-of-the-Competition William Ekong, also team captain, was overlooked for the ties against South Africa and Benin Republic as he was recovering from injury, but is back at the heart of the rear-guard to lead the three-time African champions to hunt for points for another showpiece. Ekong scored three goals at the AFCON finals early in the year.

Reigning African Player of the Year Victor Osimhen missed the two games in June, as defender Ola Aina and star forward Moses Simon due to injury. 

Osimhen just signed for Turkish giants Galatasaray and will be keen to impress his new employers, while banishing talks of his rustiness

Rapid-raider Simon, who on his good day can single-handedly decimate the opposition, is also eager to again don the green-white-green, just as Aina.

Eguavoen is most likely to start goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, with Aina, Semi Ajayi, Ekong and Bassey at the rear, and any three of Frank Onyeka, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, Alhassan Yusuf and Raphael Onyedika in midfield. Osimhen, Kelechi Iheanacho, Samuel Chukwueze, Simon, Taiwo Awoniyi, Victor Boniface and Ademola Lookman are gunning for shirts at the fore.

Lookman, in the list of 30 nominees for the Ballon d’Or, will walk with a greater spring in his steps, and justifiably so. He scored three crucial goals for Nigeria at the AFCON, and his 17 goals and 11 assists steered Atalanta FC to the Europa Cup final, where his hat-trick did the damage on German club, Bayer Leverkusen.

Tomorrow’s match will kick off at 5pm inside the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.