2026 World Cup Qualifiers: We'll Conquer Difficulties Ahead, Says Coach Finidi

As the Nigeria/South Africa World Cup qualifier in Uyo draws near, Nigerians are faced with more apprehension. 

Finidi George was recently appointed Nigeria coach and his first assignment will be the tie against Bafana Bafana at home. After that, the Super Eagles will face Benin as they push to claim the top spot in Group C.

Speaking on the winning ground for Nigeria, George said, we will get the players to be focus to win the game despite series of challenges. 

According to him, “We focus on the South African game and see how we can win that one before we talk about the Benin Republic game. Going through life is difficult, you walk through it with the difficulties that you know you’ll encounter.

“So that’s how I look at life and approach it that way, and football will not be any different. We will do our job and make sure we get the best out of that game, and apart from that, nothing else,” the super Eagle coach said.

The Bafana match will be George’s first competitive match in charge of the Super Eagles.

Nigeria go into this match against the backdrop of losing 2-0 to Mali in March’s international friendly match and George was the interim coach during that game.

Meanwhile, Super Eagles assistant coach Benjamin James is confident that the new coach can build one of the strongest national teams in the world.

The 53-year-old stated that he will combine with head coach Finidi George and Daniel Amokachi to build a solid team.

“I have gathered some experience to believe that if Finidi, Amokachi and I sit down in the same room, we’ll come out with something good,” he told Brila FM.

Finidi is a cool headed person, I’m not so familiar with Amokachi, but I believe he’s also a cool headed person and I believe we can rub minds together and come up with the best,” James affirmed.

The squad for the game would features goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, defenders Calvin Bassey (Fulham) and Semi Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion), midfielders Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City), Alex Iwobi (Everton), and Alhassan Yusuf, along with forwards Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City), Victor Boniface, and Terem Moffi (OGC Nice).