The Nigeria senior national team, the super eagles have qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. But what is interesting is how they qualified with effective use of figure 7. The following statistics will interest you.
The Eagles qualified with seven matches played and they wrapped up the ticket on 7th October 2017. Thee seven matches include the home-and-away preliminary round against Swaziland in November 2016.
After a 0-0 draw in Lobamba on 13th November, the Super Eagles on 17th November 2015, at the Adokiye Amiesiamaka Stadium, Port Harcourt beat the Swaziland national team by 2-0 with Moses Simon and Efe Ambrose scoring the goals that qualified Nigeria for the group phase.
On 9th October 2016, they defeated Zambia 2-1 in Ndola with goals from Iwobi and Kelechi Iheanacho and on 12th November 2016, they overcame Algeria 3-1 in Uyo. Two of the goals were scored by Victor Moses and Captain John Mikel Obi.
On 1st September 2017, African champions, The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon were trounced 4-0 in Uyo (the goals by Odion Ighalo, Mikel, Moses, and Iheanacho), and three days later in Yaounde, the Eagles were forced to a 1-1 draw. Moses Simon scored Nigeria’s goal.
On Saturday, 7th October 2017, the Super Eagles got the job done, beating the Chipolopolo 1-0 with a 74th-minute goal by Alex Iwobi.
Seven different players have scored Nigeria’s 13 goals of the series so far: Victor Moses (3), Mikel Obi, Alex Iwobi, Moses Simon, Kelechi Iheanacho (2 each), Odion Ighalo and Efe Ambrose (one each).
The Super Eagles have made light work of a group termed the ”group of death” after the draws were made, qualifying for the World cup with a game to spare, with four wins out of five games and one draw.
Photo Credit: The NFF
