Benedict Akwuegbu backs Super Eagles to shine in Morocco’s World Cup playoffs

By Dayo Awoniyi

Former Nigeria striker and AFCON 2000 silver medalist, Benedict Akwuegbu, has expressed strong confidence in Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the Intercontinental World Cup Playoffs scheduled to take place in Morocco this November.

Nigeria are set to face Gabon in the semifinal stage of the CAF World Cup playoff series, with the winner advancing to meet either Cameroon or DR Congo in the final. The eventual champion will represent Africa in the FIFA Intercontinental Playoff in Mexico in March 2026.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with BSN Sports, Akwuegbu praised the Super Eagles’ recent performance against Benin Republic, describing it as a strong indication of the team’s potential.

“I am optimistic that the Super Eagles will qualify for the World Cup if they play the way they did against Benin Republic,” Akwuegbu said.

The former Grazer AK forward also lauded the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) under President Ibrahim Gusau for its continued support of the national team, while urging head coach Eric Chelle to remain tactically flexible.

“The coach must be ready to adjust tactics when necessary,” he advised. “Gabon will certainly study our last match and plan to neutralize players like Victor Osimhen.”

Akwuegbu emphasized the importance of early preparation ahead of the crucial playoff fixtures, cautioning that last-minute planning could undermine Nigeria’s ambitions.

“Preparations for the World Cup playoffs must begin early,” he said. “That will give the team enough time to build on their last performance.”

Nicknamed “The Austrian Bomber” during his time at Grazer AK, Akwuegbu enjoyed a decorated club career in Austria, winning the Austrian Cup, Super Cup, and Bundesliga titles.

He was part of Nigeria’s AFCON 2000 silver-winning squad and featured at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, scoring twice during the qualifiers that secured Nigeria’s ticket to the tournament.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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