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 3rd in Africa and 31st in the world, are expected to stroll over Cape Verde (16th in Africa and 78th in the world), Central Africa Republic (26th in Africa and 109th in the world), and Liberia (44th in Africa and 152nd 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.
