2023 AFCONQ: Nigeria vs Sao Tome and Principe preview – Eagles seek strong finish

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

The curtain falls on Nigeria’s 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) Qualifiers when they face Sao Tome and Principe at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Sunday.

The Super Eagles are favourites to win this game against the Falcons and True Parrots.

The three times African champions have won two of their last five games against Sierra Leone (3-2) and Guinea Bissau (1-0) after losing the previous three games to Costa Rica (2-0), Portugal (4-0), and Guinea Bissau (1-0).

The West Africans head into the showdown, having already sealed a place at next year’s AFCON in Ivory Coast and will now aim to finish top Group A log with 12 points ahead of Guinea Bissau (10 points).

The top two teams already qualified for the tournament, while Sao Tome and Principe, on the other hand, have lost four of their last five games to Guinea Bissau (5-1), Nigeria (10-0), Sierra Leone (2-0), and Guinea Bissau (1-0).

The only game the team didn’t lose was a 2-2 draw with Sierra Leone. The last head-to-head comparison between Nigeria and Sao Tome ended in a whopping 10-0 win for the Super Eagles.

With the West African giants announcing the extension of the contract of coach Jose Peseiro, the camp of the team is now settled ahead of the game and the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.

Napoli forward, Victor Osimhen who was recently nominated for the 2023 Ballon d’Or, and in-form Victor Boniface with four goals in three German Bundesliga games this season will play crucial roles for the 1994 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 campaigners.

Talented and young Gift Orban will also have a say in the game. The question will now be by how many goals will Nigeria triumph over the visitors? The answer will surely come after 90 minutes.