The duo of Kenneth Omeruo and Semi Ajayi have expressed confidence that Super Eagles will emerge victorious when they take on Sierra Leone in a 2023 African Cup of Nations qualifier in Monrovia tonight.
The CD Leganes and West Brom central defenders revealed that the Super Eagles’ mission on the penultimate matchday of the qualifiers is to qualify for next year’s tournament in Ivory Coast.
All the teams in Group A with the exception of whipping boys São Tomé and Príncipe can qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations, but the Super Eagles have the best chance as they need only one point from their remaining two games to be guaranteed qualification, and it means even a loss on Sunday won’t be the end of the world.
Jose Peseiro’s task in Monrovia is simple as the Super Eagles will qualify for the AFCON if they avoid defeat.
In terms of goal difference, the +11 that the Super Eagles have means that it will be very difficult for them not to finish top of the group if they are level on points with any of their rivals in September.
Omeruo told AfroSport TV: “Of course, I am not expecting it to be an easy game because they want to win and still have hope of qualification, but we are going there with the ambition to win the game and seal our qualification.”
Semi Ajayi added: “We are looking to qualify this nation for the Africa Cup of Nations so we know if we get a positive result we’ll do that, so that’s where all our efforts and our energy is going towards.”
Omeruo and Semi Ajayi were paired in central defence for the entirety of the Super Eagles road win against Guinea-Bissau in March 2023.