PRE-WORLD CUP…PRE-WORLD CUP…
By Duro Ikhazuagbe
Nigerians
are to have a glimpse of what to expect from the Super Eagles at the
World Cup in Russia next month as the three-time African champions take
on Democratic Republic of Congo in a tune-up game this afternoon at the
Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt.
The send forth match is expected to be full of fireworks as every player on Gernot Rohr’s 30-man provisional squad want to impress for a chance to make Nigeria’s final list of 23 players for the Mundial in Russia.
Interestingly,
DR Congo that narrowly lost the Russia 2018 ticket to Tunisia sounded
it loud and clear last Thursday on arrival in Lagos that they were not
here on a tea party.
Apart
from star player Yannick Bolasie who missed the trip here, the two-time
African champions are loaded to the hilt with their big-name
performers.
Yannick
Bangala, Chancel Mbemba, Aaron Tshibola, Paul-Jose Mpoku and Gael
Kakuta, as well as Cedric Bakambu, Britt Assombalonga, Benik Afobe,
Kabongo Kasongo and Ben Malango are all in Port Harcourt for the clash
with Super Eagles.
Speaking
shortly after training yesterday, Super Eagles Captain, John Mikel Obi,
said that they were in no mood to drop their guard.
“We
do not expect the Congolese to be easy opposition. They have a strong
team made up of very talented players and we know this is one good
opposition for us to confront before going to the World Cup.
“The
FIFA World Cup is no picnic. We have to arrive in Russia with a winning
mentality and you get that feeling of being ready only after beating
strong teams,” stressed the Tianjin Teda midfielder.
Already,
Rohr has thrown in his own motivational factor by telling his
‘soldiers’ that five players would be cut from the provisional list of
30 after today’s encounter, leaving him with only two more to dispense
with when announcing the final squad in Bad Tatzmannsdorf, Austria a
week from today.
This
declaration, plus Mikel’s assertion of the need for winning mentality,
will propel the Eagles to give their all this evening, against a squad
that nearly grabbed a World Cup ticket for itself.
Overhauling
Tunisia was always going to be a mountain to climb in their group, but
DR Congo were almost there when leading the Carthage Eagles 2-0 in
Kinshasa, only to concede two second half goals that abbreviated their
chances and eventually killed their dream of a trip to Russia.
Going
down memory lane, the most famous encounter between both countries
remains their clash in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia in March 1976, when a young
Green Eagles’ squad thrashed the Cup holders 4-2 to the shock of African
football enthusiasts.
Baba
Otu Mohammed scored two of those goals, with Sam Ojebode making good
from the penalty spot and Thompson Usiyen getting Nigeria’s other goal.
In that squad were the likes of Joe Erico, Sani Mohammed, Godwin Odiye,
Idowu Otubusin, Kelechi Emeteole, Ojebode, Muda Lawal, Aloysius Atuegbu,
Haruna Ilerika, Baba Otu, Usiyen and Kunle Awesu.
NIGERIA/DR CONGO IN HISTORY
5/11/1966: Nigeria 3-2 DR Congo (Lagos: Friendly)
27/11/1966: DR Congo 1-0 Nigeria (Kinshasa: Friendly)
1/3/1976: DR Congo 2-4 Nigeria (Dire Dawa: AFCON 1976)
19/1/1992: DR Congo 0-1 Nigeria (Ziguichor: AFCON 1992)
2/4/1994: DR Congo 0-2 Nigeria (Tunis: AFCON 1994)
3/3/2010: Nigeria 5-2 DR Congo (Abuja: Friendly)
EAGLES PERFORMANCE UNDER ROHR
Nigeria 1-0 Tanzania (Uyo: AFCON Qualifier)
Zambia 1-2 Nigeria (Ndola: WC Qualifier)
Nigeria 3-1 Algeria (Uyo: WC Qualifier)
Senegal 1-1 Nigeria (London: Friendly)
Corsica 1-1 Nigeria (Ajaccio: Friendly)
Nigeria 3-0 Togo (Paris: Friendly)
Nigeria 0-2 South Africa (Uyo: AFCON Qualifier)
Nigeria 4-0 Cameroon (Uyo: WC Qualifier)
Cameroon 1-1 Nigeria (Yaounde: WC Qualifier)
Nigeria 1-0 Zambia (Uyo: WC Qualifier)
Algeria 1-1 Nigeria (Constantine: WC Qualifier)
Argentina 2-4 Nigeria (Krasnodar: Friendly)
Poland 0-1 Nigeria (Wroclaw: Friendly)
Serbia 2-0 Nigeria (London: Friendly)
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