2020 FIFA World Cup: Group C is easy-peezy for Nigeria but Super Eagles must watch Cape Verde

The draws for the qualifying race to reach the 2020 World Cup in Qatar when Nigeria’s Super Eagles will be attempting a seventh World Cup appearance.

They have been grouped alongside Djibouti, Cape Verde, Central Africa Republic and Liberia. Nigeria, top seed and highest ranked at 3^rd in Africa and 31^st in the world, are expected to stroll over Cape Verde (16^th in Africa and 78^th in the world), Central Africa Republic (26^th in Africa and 109^th in the world), and Liberia (44^th in Africa and 152^nd in the world).

Player for player, Nigeria have the more accomplished players in Europe than the other three countries but they must be wary of rising super powers Cape Verde who have a long list of European players mainly from Portugal in their ranks. They play  an exciting brand of football and are quite dangerous at set-pieces.

They play their home games at the 15,000 capacity Estadio Nacional de Cabo Verde which was opened in 2014. The Blue Sharks are particularly difficult to beat at home and even drew 0-0 away with Cameroon in a 2021 AFCON qualifier last October.

Nigeria must therefore be wary of the Cape Verdeans.