Gabon head coach Thierry Mouyouma has admitted that the Super Eagles are favourites ahead of their semi-final clash in the African World Cup Qualifying Play-off Tournament taking place in Morocco. The match is scheduled for Thursday at the Complexe Sportif Prince Héritier Moulay Abdellah.
Both sides advanced to the playoff round after finishing among the four best second-placed teams in the African World Cup qualifiers.
Nigeria, who have appeared at five FIFA World Cups, will be aiming to secure Africa’s sole slot in next year’s inter-confederation playoffs. However, they must first overcome Gabon in Thursday’s decisive semi-final.
Despite an inconsistent run of form, the Super Eagles remain one of Africa’s most formidable sides, boasting an array of top talents, including two recent African Footballer of the Year winners and one of the most lethal strikers in world football, Victor Osimhen. Several of their players also feature prominently in Europe’s elite leagues.
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Gabon, meanwhile, has its own star names such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mario Lemina. Still, Mouyouma insists his side will embrace their underdog status, arguing that the pressure will be on Nigeria to deliver.
“We know that Nigeria, a great African team, are the favourites, and our underdog status suits us just fine,” Mouyouma said ahead of the encounter.
“Nigeria will be under more pressure, which is understandable. But while we respect them for everything they represent, we’re not afraid of them. We know the quality of their squad, the danger posed by Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, and I think Nigeria also knows us very well.”
The Super Eagles, who have dominated headlines in the past 24 hours for boycotting training due to unpaid bonuses, will now look to put those distractions behind them and refocus on securing a vital win on Thursday.
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