Nigeria capable of qualifying to round-of-16 – Lawal

Ex-international, Garba Lawal says the team’s tight position at the World Cup is as a result of their failure to earn a point against Croatia in the opening Group D fixture.

It would be recalled that Nigeria lost 2-0 to Croatia in their opening game on June 16 before making a more impressive display against Iceland in their second game, where they defeated their European counterpart 2-0.

Having played at the 1998 World Cup where he scored Nigeria’s second goal against Spain in their 3-2 win, Lawal told Soccernet.com.ng that it would take a miracle for the team to make it to the knockout stages of the World Cup.

“I am really unhappy to imagine that our darling Super Eagles will be praying for mother-luck to qualify to the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup in Russia.

“I think the players put themselves in such a tight situation when they lost 2-0 to Croatia in their opening fixture,” Lawal told Soccernet.com.ng.

“That defeat was just the architect of the whole problem and now we have to beat Argentina in order to qualify to the knockout stages after overcoming Iceland 2-0.

“In the real sense, nothing is impossible as far as football is concerned and I will be so delighted if the team makes it through.”