It will be a fight to finish when the Super Eagles take on the Leopards of DR Congo tomorrow night for the sole ticket to next year’s Intercontinental 2026 World Cup Playoffs in Mexico.
Both teams have won a game and drawn another in their last three meetings to prove tomorrow’s showdown will also be delicately poised.
The Super Eagles were held to a 1-1 draw by DRC in a pre-World Cup friendly in Nigeria in May 2018.
Three years earlier, Nigeria fell 2-0 to home team DRC, while in March 2010 the Super Eagles soared past their opponents 5-2.
Both teams on current form are pulling their weight.
In the last five matches, DRC have won four and lost 3-2 to Senegal at home. Their victories were against Cameroon (1-0), Sudan (1-0), Togo (1-0), South Sudan (4-1).
Super Eagles, on the other hand, are unbeaten in their last five matches. Besides a 1-1 draw in South Africa, they thrashed Gabon (4-1) and Benin (4-0), pipped hosts Lesotho 2-1 and Rwanda 1-0.
The Leopards are led by French coach Sébastien Desabre, 49, who has ample North African ground and environmental experience having had stints with Wydad Athletic Club of Casablanca (Morocco), and also with the trio of Espérance Sportive de Tunis and Ismaily FC and Pyramids FC in Egypt.
Captain Chancel Mbemba, who was the match winner against Cameroon Thursday night, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Brian Cipenga, Noah Sadiki and Silas Katompa are among their top stars.
They also parade striker Cédric Bakambu, Meshack Elia, Samuel Essende and the dangerous Pyramids FC of Egypt forward Fiston Mayele.
