2026 W/Cup Qualifier: Eagles focused on three points against Warriors — Ekong

Super Eagles captain William Ekong says the team is isfocused on getting the much-needed win in their 2026 World Cup qualifying matchday six encounter against the Warriors of Zimbabwe.

The Super Eagles are expected to rise to nine points and be fully back into contention for a World Cup ticket after Tuesday’s encounter at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.

Ekong reiterated on Monday that the three-time African champions will seek to control the game the way they did in the encounter with Rwanda in Kigali on Friday.

He told newsmen that the team would work hard to get the goals that would give them the three points and fully establish them as one of the contenders for the ticket.

“We are looking forward to a win. The three points are important to us. At this stage, we cannot afford to drop any more points.

“Our aim is to take it one match at a time, collect three points here and there and hope fervently that these will be enough to get us the ticket.”

Without a win in their first four games of the series, Nigeria languished in fifth place in the six-team Group C and remained in a perilous situation.

However, Friday’s robust win over Rwanda in Kigali threw them up as a proposition for the ticket to the finals.

Nigeria, with six points, moved up to fourth position, while Zimbabwe, on three, propped up the table and will seek to increase their haul in Tuesday’s encounter.

The Warriors’ 45-man contingent, led by the ZIFA Vice President, Kennedy Ndebele, landed at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, on Friday afternoon.

This was about an hour after the arrival of the Super Eagles’ contingent from Kigali.

While the Warriors trained at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Sunday morning, the Super Eagles trained at the same venue in the evening.

The team training was observed by some members of the NFF Executive Committee, the General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, and SSA to Mr President, Anthony Adeboye.

Others were the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Sports, Paul Bassey; former NFF General Secretary Musa Amadu; and some officials of the NSC and the NFF.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the world football governing body FIFA has appointed Eritrean official Teklu Mogos Tsegay as referee for the match.

Tsegay’s compatriots would serve as assistant referee 1, assistant referee 2 and fourth official.

Ghanaian Prosper Harrison Addo will be the commissioner, while Paulin Ilboudo from Burkina Faso will serve as referee assessor.

Leaders South Africa, on 10 points, square up to second-placed Benin Republic, on eight points, at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan in a match starting simultaneously with that of Uyo.

Lesotho, now in fifth place following their defeat by South Africa on Friday, will tackle Rwanda’s Amavubi at Kigali’s Amahoro Stadium in the last match of Group C. (NAN)