President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Aminu Maigari on Wednesday assured Nigerians that the Super Eagles will qualify for next year’s FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil.
“I have no doubt that we will qualify for the FIFA World Cup finals. We expected to win here but things didn’t turn out that way. However, nothing has changed. All we need do is beat Malawi in September and we’ll be through to the final round of the elimination series.
“Not only will we get there, we will also conquer whichever team comes our way and get the ticket to the World Cup finals.”
Maigari spoke at the Nigeria House in Windhoek, hours after the Super Eagles forced the Brave Warriors to a 1-1 draw in a hard-fought 2014 World Cup qualifying clash at the Sam Nujoma Stadium.
Following Malawi’s 2-2 draw with Kenya in Blantyre earlier in the day, the Group F became Nigeria’s to conquer with a win against the Namibians. But after a bright opening spell, during which Sunday Mba
and Anthony Ujah missed opportunities, the hosts began to grow in
confidence and looked dangerous going forward.
The Brave Warriors combined pace and endeavour with commendable ball sense, but they found the central defensive network of Kenneth Omeruo and Godfrey Oboabona impregnable.
At the other end, Germany-based forward Ujah shot wastefully over the bar with the net gaping.
On the hour mark, the hosts could have taken the lead with a fierce shot, but Enyeama was equal to the task. Their attacking menace continued to cause apprehension among the few Nigerians at the
stadium.
In the 74th minute, Ahmed Musa, hero of the qualifier against Kenya in Nairobi a week earlier, fluffed a great chance when clean on goal. And two minutes later, Namibia shot into the lead.
Substitute Deon Hotto Kavendji was unmarked in the area to steer a pull-out from the left past Vincent Enyeama.
As it has happened in all their four previous qualifying matches, Nigeria would not get a goal until after 80 minutes. Defender Godfrey Oboabona lashed a free-kick from the edge of the box, which goalkeeper
Virgill Vries could only help into his net in the 83rd minute.
The African champions will fly out of Windhoek to Johannesburg on Thursday afternoon, and be on their way to Sao Paulo minutes before 6pm South Africa time. They will arrive Sao Paulo minutes before
midnight, and connect immediately to Belo Horizonte, venue of their first match of the FIFA Confederations Cup tournament against Tahiti, which comes up on Monday.
