The Super Eagles will welcome Sierra Leone to the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja Thursday behind closed doors, but striker Cyriel Dessers insisted that should not stop the team from victory.
The Eagles will play this match without fans after the MKO Abiola Stadium was banned following crowd trouble there in March, when arch-rivals Ghana pipped Nigeria to the ticket to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
This will be Dessers first home game for Nigeria since he opted to play for the Eagles ahead of Belgium two years ago.
“We have to perform, do the business even behind closed doors,” the 27-year-old striker maintained.
“It would have been great with the fans at the stadium, but that will not possible for this game.”
The top scorer of this season’s UEFA Europa Conference League scored his first international goal in a 2-1 loss to Mexico recently.
“I got goose bumps after I scored that goal,” he admitted.
“I hope to score more goals and do everything for the team.
“I have no regrets I chose to play for Nigeria even though I was overlooked after my debut two years ago.
“I will keep fighting and continue to score goals to be called up.”
He also said he has not ruled out a transfer outside Belgium even after Dutch club Feyenoord did not sign him on a permanent basis after a successful loan spell from Genk.
