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World Cup Qualifiers: Eagles Determined To Turn Fortune Around, Says Simon
Super Eagles winger Moses Simon says there is no excuse for the team’s string of poor performances, as they hope to turn their fortunes around against Rwanda and South Africa in the 2026 World Cup qualifying series,
The Super Eagles are at risk of missing back-to-back FIFA World Cup tournaments after their poor start in the ongoing series.
Nigeria are fourth in Group C with seven points after just one win, one defeat and four draws from their previous six games. Three of those draws came at home, including an uncompromising 1-1 result to Zimbabwe in June.
Only the top team from each of the qualifying groups will pick an automatic spot to the USA, Canada and Mexico, and the Super Eagles are currently six points behind leaders South Africa with four games left to play.
Nigeria must win their four remaining matches to have a realistic shot at qualifying.
“We just have to win, there are no excuses. It doesn’t matter who scores, we don’t care, we just want to win,” Simon told ESPN.
“If you know anything you can do to make us win, do it. If you feel you’re better than who the coach wants to put, it is easy – speak with the coach. If you feel that if you go into the pitch, you will score five goals, it is easy, just say it.
“Everyone can stand up for you, we can speak with the coach that you have to play because now there is no time for excuses. We just need to give everything that we can. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t happen, let us know, ‘Yes, we gave our best.’”
The Super Eagles have scored seven goals so far in the series and have also conceded six goals, and Simon believes they must outscore their opponents to stand a good chance of winning their last four games.
“A defender can score, a midfielder can score, even a striker can score. We just need to do it collectively.
“We need to score more goals because the Super Eagles of those days and the Super Eagles of now, I think, those days before twenty minutes, the game is over,” Simon said.
“And in terms of defending, they defended very well. Now, we are trying to adapt because for me, we just need to score goals for us to avoid all these. This is something that needs to change because you can see it has affected even the CHAN team. They didn’t score a lot of goals, and when the opponent have their chances, they finish them quickly.
“This is something we need to change generally because sometimes when you say goals, people think it’s just strikers. Wingers need to score goals. At the last AFCON, I think Ekong had three goals, and he’s a defender. A defender can score, a midfielder can score, and even a striker can score. We just need to do it collectively. Score goals and defend well, and all of us have to do it together as a team.”
New coach Eric Chelle is the third coach who has handled the Super Eagles during the qualifiers.