...W/Cup play-off sets Calabar agog
Nigeria's Super Eagles are battleready today as they confront the Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia in the second leg of the 2014 World Cup playoff, which will determine who among them, will pick one of the five continental tickets for the Mundial to be hosted by Brazil. The match is billed to kick off by 4pm Nigerian time at the U.J Esuene Stadium, Calabar, and will see the two teams going for the maximum points at stake.
The Super Eagles defeated their East African counterparts by 2-1 in the first leg decided at the Addis Ababa National Stadium on October 13 and will need at least a draw to book a ticket for the World Cup, while the Ethiopians will need to score at least two unreplied goals to achieve their dream of getting their first World Cup debut. Coach Stephen Keshi's side went unbeaten in the group stage of the qualifiers, topping Group F by winning three of their matches and drawing three of their six games.
They conceded just three goals in the process, while their Ethiopian counterparts won four of their six matches in their Group, and surviving a late scare in their final game by coming from behind to beat Central African Republic 2-1. It is also important to state that a 2-1 victory for Ethiopia in Calabar will see today's cracker going into extra time and possibly into a penalty shoot out if no winner emerges at regulation time, which makes today's match dicey.
Qualification would mean a fifth tournament appearance for Nigeria having previously been to the World Cup in 1994,1998,2002 and 2010, while for Ethiopia, qualification will mean their first appearance at the Mundial.
Already the African champions who are in high spirit ahead of the all-important cracker are right now mapping out strategies on how to tame the much improved Walya Antelopes, promising that they will not disappoint in the match.
Top among the players who would battle the visitors includes, Mikel Obi, Victor Moses, Shola Ameobi, Ogenyi Onazi, Ahmed Musa, Obinna Nsofor, Nosa Igiebor and team captain, Vincent Enyeama.
Our correspondent gathered that all the aforementioned players have expressed optimism that the Ethiopians will not prevent them from hoisting Nigeria's flag in Brazil next year. Speaking after their training session in Calabar on Wednesday, the Super Eagles gaffer, Keshi, noted that while it is true that his team has an advantage over their opponents, considering they won the first leg of the play- off, but they will not underrate the East Africans because the Ethiopians have fine players who can upset any good team any day.
"We are fully prepared for the encounter and I am looking forward to Nigeria booking their fifth World Cup ticket at the end of the full 90 minutes. "It is true that we won the first leg in Addis Ababa, but that does not mean that the Ethiopians are pushovers.
We are not going to underrate them, rather we will approach the game with all seriousness it deserves because underrating a team such as Ethiopia could be dangerous," Keshi noted.
As earlier stated, the Ethiopians lost the first leg at home, but they are undaunted by that defeat as they have promised that they can still deny the Super Eagles the opportunity of being at the Mundial next year.
According to their coach, Sewnet Bishaw, they are going to approach the second leg with all seriousness pointing out that his players played better than the African champions in the first leg, however, poor finishing in front of goal prevented them from recording a major upset in that encounter. It is expected that Keshi will be counting on the experiences of Emmanuel Emenike, whose brace helped Nigeria to come from behind to beat Ethiopia 2-1 in the first leg, as well as Godfrey Oboabona who made a goal line clearance in the encounter.
Efe Ambrose , Elderson Echiejile , Azubuike Egwuekwe Ogenyi Onazi, Mikel Obi , Nnamdi Oduamadi, Victor Moses and Ahmed Musa are also expected to record an outstanding victory against the Ethiopians.
The Ethiopian coach on the other hand, is not ready to accept that their World Cup adventure is over and will likely make use of Behailu Assefa who gave them their shock lead in the first leg to spearhead their attack. He is also likely to introduce dependable striker, Getaneh Kebede who missed the first leg due to an ankle injury he picked up in training ahead of the first leg and also Saladan Said Ahmed who like Kebede scored four of Ethiopia's eight goals in the qualifiers.