Legendary Nigerian midfielder Austin Jay-Jay Okocha has cautioned the Super Eagles ahead of their 2022 Fifa World Cup qualification play-off against Ghana.
The two West African giants are set to meet next month with the winner on aggregate booking their spot in this year’s World Cup finals which will be hosted by Qatar from November 21 to December 18.
Ghana’s Black Stars underperformed at the recent 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals – bowing out of the tournament in the group stage without winning a single game.
While the Super Eagles reached the knockout phase where they were narrowly defeated by Tunisia in the Round of 16 and they have been tipped as the favourites heading into their play-off tie.
“Ghana versus Nigeria match is never an easy one. It is more about the rivalry, it is a pride match and a bragging right one,” Okocha told Thisdaylive.
“For me, what is most important is to get the ticket. It doesn’t matter how, even if we don’t play beautiful football. “What is important is getting the ticket to the World Cup in Qatar.
“It is the result that matters,” Okocha, who captained Nigeria at the 2002 World Cup finals in Korea/Japan, added.
Ghana failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia, while Nigeria took part in the tournament and they narrowly missed out on a spot in the knockout phase.
The Stars will host the Super Eagles in the first-leg clash at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium in Ghana on March 24, while the second-leg encounter is scheduled to be played at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Nigeria on March 27. – africanfootball.com
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