Iwobi: Nigeriaâ??s World Cup hopes â??resurrected from the deadâ??

Fulham star Alex Iwobi says Nigeria’s bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been “resurrected from the dead” after a shaky start to qualifying.

The Super Eagles managed just three points from their first four games, including home draws against Lesotho and Zimbabwe, a campaign complicated by three different coaches and injuries to talismanic striker Victor Osimhen.

Salvation came thanks to an injury-time goal by Brentford’s Frank Onyeka in the final group game against Benin, securing a 4-0 victory and a place in the African play-offs as Group C runners-up.

“Giving ourselves another chance to go into the World Cup, the confidence is high,” Iwobi told BBC Sport Africa.

“I’ve been in one [Russia 2018], I would like to be in one again. Hopefully, we get the chance to do that. It’s not going to be easy. We’ve got to play Gabon first and I’m sure he [Aubameyang] wants to go to the World Cup as well.”

Nigeria now face Gabon in Thursday’s semi-final in Morocco. The winner will meet the victor of Cameroon vs DR Congo for a spot in an intercontinental qualifier in March.

Iwobi acknowledged the fans’ disappointment earlier in qualifying: “It wasn’t the greatest of starts… We feel like on any day, if we give 100%, and we’ve got the players to do so, that we can beat any team. But there’s one thing saying it, we have to prove it.”

 

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