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2023 AFCONQ: Sierra Leone vs Nigeria Preview: Eagles eye 20th continental berth
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
In one of the penultimate games of the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, Sierra Leone and Nigeria will square up in the Group A clash on Sunday.
The game will take place at Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium, Monrovia, Liberia from 5:00 pm Nigerian time.
Both sides need a win to seal a place at next year’s AFCON with Super Eagles needing to avoid defeat to book a place in the tournament.
Leone Stars have better form ahead of the game after a win and two draws from its last five games coupled with two losses.
Three-time African champions are not in a rich vein of form with four losses and a win in their last five games.
It has recorded losses to Algeria, Costa Rica, Portugal, and Guinea Bissau before redeeming itself with a 1-0 win over the Djurtus the last time.
The 2013 African champions notwithstanding has won two of the last four Head-to-Head matches with two draws including a 4-4 draw during AFCON 2021 Qualifiers at home.
Nigeria defeated Sierra Leone home and away (1-0 and 4-0) in the qualifying series for the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa and then defeated the Leone Stars 2-1 in a friendly match in Lagos in February 2011. In a WAFU Cup encounter in September 2017, the Eagles were 2-0 winners.
Both teams clashed twice in the qualifying series for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, with the Leone Stars coming from 1-4 down to draw 4-4 in Benin City, and then forcing a 0-0 draw in Freetown.
In this campaign, the Eagles came from behind to defeat the Leone Stars 2-1 at the MKO Abiola Stadium in June 2022, on the opening day of the series.
Goals from Alex Iwobi and Victor Osimhen canceled Jonathan Morsay’s opener for Sierra Leone.
A win or draw for the 1980 champions means qualification and ends its opponent’s quest while a win for the Leone Stars will brighten its chances of qualifying but will still have to defeat Guinea Bissau in the last group game.
Presently, Nigeria is second in the pool with nine points from four matches, a point behind Guinea Bissau, who have played five matches and reached the top following their defeat of Sao Tome on Wednesday.
