By Sports Editor
The Super Eagles of Nigeria are set for final annihilation of Sao Tome & Principe as the two countries meet on Sunday in the final group match of the 2024 AFCON qualifiers at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.
Nigeria, on 12 points and two ahead of second-placed Guinea Bissau, have already qualified for the finals, with only the group leadership to sort out after this weekend’s final-day games.
Guinea Bissau’s Djurtus host third-placed and already-eliminated Sierra Leone in Bissau, and a win will take them to 13 points.
However, victory for the Super Eagles on Sunday in Uyo will take them to 15 points and top of the table no matter what happens in Bissau.
Osimhen, who leads the AFCON 2023 qualifying campaign scorers’ sheet with seven goals, is among 23 players already sweating it out in the Akwa Ibom State capital for the encounter, and will relish the opportunity to put daylight between him and other contenders for the campaign’s Goal King crown.
Meanwhile, Captain William Ekong has said the Super Eagles will go all out for a handsome victory over visiting Falcons and True Parrots of Sao Tome and Principe as a welcome gift for Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh.
“Yes, we have already qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, but we want to win this match for a number of reasons. We have a new Minister of Sports Development who has hit the ground running. It is good to welcome him with a great win.
“We also need to sustain a winning mentality ahead of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers starting in November. So, we are not going to be taking this game as a dead-rubber or whatever people choose to call it. It is another important match as far as we’re concerned,” said Ekong.
It will be recalled that the Super Eagles had earned a 10-0 record international win against Sao Tome and Principe in Agadir, Morocco in June 2022 with Osimhen scoring four of the goals
