Nigeria commence their campaign towards qualifying for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations with a game against Sierra Leone.
The Super Eagles have been zoned against Guinea Bissau, Sao Tome and Principe in Group A and they know that victory over the Leone Stars would help them avoid a tortuous qualification process.
This fixture is coach Jose Peseiro’s third in charge of the three-time African champions, and he would be eyeing his first win after defeats to Mexico and Ecuador.
For John Keister’s men, they would fancy their chances of securing victory at the MKO Abiola Stadium having in mind that their last two encounters with Nigeria ended on a no winner, no vanquished note.
| Game | Nigeria vs Sierra Leone |
| Date | Thursday, June 9 |
| Time | 17:00 WAT |
Next matches
TV Channel, Live Stream & How To Watch
This match will be live-streamed.
You can also watch the game in Africa on TV through SuperSport and various local broadcasters.
| Nigeria TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| AIT, Super Sports | NFF TV |
Squads & Team News
| Position | Nigeria squad |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Francis Uzoho, Adewale Adeyinka, Adebayo Adeleye |
| Defenders | Olaoluwa Aina, William Ekong, Abdullahi Shehu; Zaidu Sanusi; Chidozie Awaziem; Oluwasemilogo Ajayi, Calvin Bassey, Sani Faisal; Leon Balogun, Kenneth Omeruo |
| Midfielders | Joseph Aribo, Alex Iwobi, Oghenekaro Etebo; Innocent Bonke; and Frank Onyeka |
| Forwards | Ahmed Musa, Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Victor Osimhen, Cyriel Dessers Ademola Lookman, Sadiq Umar; and Terem Moffi |
Potential Nigeria XI: Uzoho, Aina, Ekong, Ajayi, Bassey, Aribo, Iwobi, Bonke, Etebo, Simon, Osimhen
| Position | Sierra Leone squad |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Donald Kamara, Ibrahim Sesay, Mohamed Kamara |
| Defenders | Osman Kakay, Kevin Wright, Steven Caulker, Daniel Francis, Alie Sesay, Lamin Conteh, Saidu Mansaray, John Kamara |
| Midfielders | Kamil Conteh, Ibrahim Sillah, Emmanuel Samadia, Alhassan Koroma, Saidu Kamara, Kwame Quee, Kallum Csay, Mustapha Bundu, Augustus Kargbo |
| Forwards | Amadou Bakayoko, Musa Kamara, Jonathan Morsay, Sulaiman Kaikai, Mohamed Turay |
Potential Sierra Leone XI: Kamara, Kakay, Wright, Caulker, Francis, Conteh, Samadia, Koroma, Bundu, Bakayoko, Kamara
Match Preview
Nigeria have failed to win any of their last five matches in all competitions and Thursday’s fixture against Sierra Leone presents them with a chance to secure their first win since January 2022.
Although the three-time African champions are favourites to emerge victorious, coach Jose Peseiro has tasked his team to show character.
“Our team is better than Sierra Leone, it’s true and no one can doubt that,” the former Venezuela coach told the media on Wednesday.
“But we need to show it in our football because any team can beat any team with good organisation, and commitment.
“You can create lots of opportunities and don’t score while the other team can create one and score.
“Our team is the favourite for tomorrow but we need to show in the field that we want to win.”
Sierra Leone have never won an Afcon qualification match away from home. Of all 17 matches played, 10 ended in defeats while seven ended in draws.
Also, Nigeria’s last victory came on January 19, 2022, when they defeated Guinea Bissau 2-0 in an Africa Cup of Nations encounter inside Roumde Adjia Stadium, Garoua.
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