] 18:T77c,

Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi has urged Nigeria to make a strong start when they begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Madagascar in Uyo on Friday.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference on Thursday, Ndidi said the team had learned valuable lessons from their failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, particularly their poor start in the qualifiers.

The midfielder stressed that the Super Eagles cannot afford to repeat the same mistake as they open their Group L campaign.

“We know the experiences of the last World Cup. How we started was really poor, really bad, and it will never happen again because this is a focused team,” Ndidi said.

“We are planning to set the momentum because the first game is the most important game in every competition. This is a qualifying tournament, so the opening match sets the momentum for the games that follow.

“We are committed to performing at our best. We believe we will set the momentum. We are prepared, and everyone is fully focused.”

Nigeria are in Group L alongside Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau and Tanzania, who are already guaranteed a place at the 2027 AFCON as one of the co-hosts alongside Kenya and Uganda.

With Tanzania already qualified, only one of the remaining three teams will secure the other qualification spot from the group.

Ndidi acknowledged the pressure surrounding the qualification race but insisted that Nigeria would focus on collecting as many points as possible rather than worrying about their opponents.

“Pressure is part of our sport, and we try to perform well under pressure. The most important thing is our team, our unity and our nation,” he added.

“We try as much as possible to get as many points as we can. It doesn’t matter how many qualify; we want to qualify. That is the most important thing for us.”

Ndidi Warns Super Eagles Against Slow Start in AFCON 2027 Qualifiers

Comments (0)