Don’t underrate Seychelles, Adepoju warns as Eagles camp opens today
[fILE] Super Eagles former star, Mutiu Adepoju.
Former Super Eagles’ Midfielder, Mutiu Adepoju has advised the senior national team against underrating Seychelles in their second game of the Cameroon 2019 African Nations Cup qualifying series this weekend.
The Super Eagles’ players and officials are expected to start arriving in Victoria, capital of Seychelles today for the match, which holds on Saturday.
Drawing from experience, Adepoju advised the Super Eagles to work hard and approach the tie with total commitment to ensure success in a game they must win to remain in touch of qualification for the Nations Cup.
Nigeria lost its opening match in the series 0-2 to South Africa in Uyo and needs outright victory to return to contention for the ticket to Cameroon 2019.
He cautioned against seeing Seychelles as a small country, warning that approaching the game with levity could be dangerous as there are no more minnows in African football.
“The Super Eagles should approach the game against Seychelles with 100 per cent commitment.
The players should understand that losing the game means Nigeria could not qualify for another Nations Cup, the third in a row.
That could be dangerous to their careers,” he said.
Meanwhile, Turkey–based forward, Henry Onyekuru will be the first player to arrive at the Super Eagles’ Savoy Hotel Resort and Spa, Victoria this morning, as Nigeria opens camp for the match against the Pirates of Seychelles.
The Galatasaray SK marksman is scheduled to land in Victoria on the island of Mahe at 11.00 a.m., to be followed two-and-half hours later by Nigeria–based goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa, who will arrive with the Nigeria–based members of the technical crew and backroom staff.
All the other players on Coach Gernot Rohr’s 24-man roster will arrive at the team hotel tomorrow, with one group to come in before breakfast and another group expected at lunchtime.
Rohr has included three goalkeepers, eight defenders, six midfielders and seven forwards in his list for the crucial match, with four other players on standby.
The Super Eagles and the Pirates clash at the 10,000–capacity Stade Linite in a Group E, Matchday 2 encounter on Saturday, starting from 4.30pm Seychelles time (1.30pm Nigeria time), with both teams in need of the three points after losing their respective openers to the campaign 15 months ago.
Libya top Group E following a 5-1 whiplash of Seychelles (who have installed a new coach in Gavin Jeanne), with South Africa second after beating the Super Eagles 2-0 in Uyo.
