Former Real Madrid midfielder Mutiu Adepoju has warned the Super Eagles that a loss or draw aginst Rwanda could be detrimental to their hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Super Eagles are looking to get their push for a place in next year's FIFA World Cup back on track when they take on Rwanda in their fifth game of Group C.
Recall that Nigeria currently sit fifth with three points from their first four games, and they desperately need to start stacking up wins if they do not want to miss a second consecutive World Cup.
The new coach, Eric Chelle, has not enjoyed a lot of success in his young career, but there are many optimists who believe he could do something big with the team. Former Nigerian midfielder Adepoju is one of them.
The former Real Madrid B man is no stranger to the workings of the Super Eagles and appeared in three World Cups and two AFCONs.
He warns that Nigeria should be forward thinking as a draw or a lost in their next set of games might not cut it. But be believes that Chelle is the man for the job.
“All Nigerians are expecting a victory because of the importance of all the matches, we cannot afford to lose or draw any of the matches in the qualifiers for the World Cup if we want to go for the World Cup,” Adepoju exclusively told Soccernet.ng.
“Its victory that we expect and a good performance from the players, good football and victory in all the matchs that they are going to play, that's the reason why Chelle was employed. I just believe that Chelle is capable and the players are capable.”
A win for Nigeria could take them as high as third on the group.
The Super Eagles can beat Rwanda
On paper, the Super Eagles are good enough to beat Rwanda due to their superior quality. However, they have often flattered to deceive in previous occasions, so it might not be straightforward.
Nonetheless, Chelle is a new coach and he will be expected to make some changes and improve the team.
If the players follow his tactics to the letter, Nigeria should be able to grab the win.
