Nigeria’s return to international beach soccer is set to be capped with a continental ticket as the Supersand Eagles need only a draw against their counterparts from Mauritania in Kaduna on Saturday to grab a ticket to this year’s Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
A dogged performance against the Mauritanians in Nouakchott on Saturday last week earned the two-time African champions a 5-4 win, with goals from Emeka Ogbonna, Emmanuel Ohwoferia and Taiwo Adams, and a brace from old warhorse Victor Tale.
The Beach Soccer Arena inside the Murtala Muhammed Square, Kaduna is the venue for the return leg, which kicks off at 5pm.
Coach Abdullahi Isa, himself a veteran of several Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations finals and FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Championships, has a squad of fit, battle-hardened and high-spirited players to pick from, including Adams, Ohwoferia, Godwin Tale, Victor Tale, Egan-Osi Ekujimi, Chidozie Frank, Isah Arome and Hassan Abdullahi.
A draw or victory on Saturday will send the Nigerian boys to the finals in Egypt. Hosts Egypt, as well as Morocco and Tanzania, whose opponents Angola and Uganda respectively withdrew from the qualifiers, are already through to the 8-team finals.
Other Qualifying Matches This Weekend:
Senegal Vs Guinea (9-3)
Cote d’Ivoire Vs Ghana (3-5)
Mozambique Vs Seychelles (7-3)
Malawi Vs Burundi (7-6)
By Olaleye Oluwadamilola