Former Super Eagles goalkeeper Dosu Joseph has warned against complacency ahead of the crucial playoff tie against Gabon for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Nigeria are up against the Panthers on Thursday at the Moulay Hassan Stadium with the winner of the tie facing either Cameroon or DR Congo in the CAF playoff finals.
The winner of the playoff final will then advance to the intercontinental playoffs where a clash against any team from Asia, Oceania or South America awaits.
The three-time African champions missed the 2022 edition in Qatar following a playoff heartbreak to arch-rivals Ghana and will be hopeful of avoiding the same fate this time around.
Speaking ahead of the encounter, Dosu Joseph believes the team must avoid unnecessary distractions and focus on the task at hand.
“Football is not being played on newspapers, it is played on the field of play”, the ex-Nigerian international revealed.
“Gabon scored around 20 goals during the qualifiers, while we scored less goals during the qualifiers.”
Nigeria finished second in group C of CAF qualifying with 17 points, one point behind South Africa who nicked the available automatic slot from the group.
Gabon, on the other hand, narrowly missed out on a spot in the World Cup despite winning eight of their 10 group matches.
Nigerian players boycotted training on Tuesday over unpaid wages and bonuses, but resumed preparations on Wednesday ahead of the must-win clash.
“So we need to enter the field with determination, not just underate them and saying we are going to beat them”, Dosu added.
“The football will be played on the pitch. They know Nigeria in and out, we don’t know them in and out, so we need to be determined because there are no minnows in football anymore.”
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
