The Super Eagles did just enough to beat Liberia 2-0 in Lagos, before they were gifted a flattering 2-1 win in Cape Verde to record a perfect start in their 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign and offer the team some more options.
Tunisia (Group B), Libya (Group F) and Senegal (Group H) are the other teams who got off to a perfect start in this qualifying series.
Group C leaders Nigeria will now face Central African Republic in a double-header next month.
The first encounter will be on October 5 in Nigeria, while the second game will be in Cameroon on October 9.
More wins in the qualifiers will improve Nigeria’s FIFA Rankings, which will be used to seed the teams for the final World Cup playoffs in March 2022.
That way the Eagles could avoid the likes of Senegal, Algeria and Morocco.
Coach Gernot Rohr played his strongest team against the Lone Star of Liberia in Lagos, but it was the individual brilliance of Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho that proved the difference between the teams with two clever goals.
The rain-soaked pitch at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos seemed to bog down the home team, but they did just enough to win the maximum three points and keep a clean sheet against a Liberian team who did not offer much resistance.
The bigger test for the three-time African champions was in Cape Verde four days later as they were without as many as seven of the starters from the Lagos game no thanks to the UK Coronavirus protocol that barred players from the Premier League and Scotland from visiting red-listed Cape Verde.
The challenge was made more difficult by the fact that this match was played on a synthetic pitch, which Nigeria’s Europe-based stars are not familiar with.
However, Lady Luck smiled on the makeshift team that gave debuts to Innocent Bonke and Kingsley Michael.
The Eagles showed character to fight back and draw level after the Blue Sharks shot in front after 20 minutes courtesy of some lax defending.
The alertness and persistence of Napoli striker Victor Osimhen were on hand to punish the lapses in the defence of Cape Verde for Nigeria to restore parity.
The winning goal for the Super Eagles late in the second half was even more fortuitous as one of Cape Verde most experienced professional stars, Kenny Rocha, under no pressure, delivered a backpass from almost the centre-circle, which beat his out-of-position goalkeeper.
The hosts were also unlucky not to snatch at least a draw on the day when a diving header beat goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, but somehow missed the target in the closing moments.
“Replacement players” Bonke, Kingsley Michael, Chidera Ejuke and Terem Moffi can at least get another look-in going forward.
But for the travel restrictions imposed by the Premier League, Rohr would most certainly not have considered these options.
It will be against his will and philosophy.
Competition for squad places in the Super Eagles will now be expected to be fiercer and that can only be good for the team as they approach major targets – winning the AFCON next year and qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.
