Nigeria will be expected to wrap up their qualification to the 2014 World Cup with another win over Ethiopia in a final playoff on Saturday.
Nigeria won the first leg 2-1 courtesy of a brace from on-form Fenerbahce hit man Emmanuel Emenike and will be looking forward to seal a fifth World Cup ticket in Calabar.
Nigeria have lost only once to Ethiopia, a 1994 AFCON qualifier in Addis Ababa, in their previous eight meetingswith the Eagles victorious in five of these games.
The Eagles will be without Real Betis midfielder Nosa Igiebor and striker Uche Nwofor from Dutch club Heerenveen on account of injury.
Igiebor, who was a second-half substitute in Addis Ababa, is to undergo surgery for a groin injury, while Nwofor has been replaced by Bright Dike from the MLS side Toronto FC.
They also welcome back Chelsea defender Kenneth Omeruo and defensive midfielder Gabriel Reuben, who features for Scottish club Kilmarnock. Both players have been away from the team due to long-term injuries.
Ethiopia, on the other hand, will welcome back South Africa-based forward Getaneh Kebede, who missed the first game due to injury.
Kebede is his team’s joint leading scorer in the qualifiers with four goals and has insisted on playing this game even after he was knocked out cold during the South African league match this past weekend.
The pace and directness of Egypt-based striker Saladin Said will again be expected to test the Eagles back four.
Efe Ambrose told MTNFootball.com that Eagles are gunning for outright victory.
“To me the match against Ethiopia is just like any other game. I don’t feel anything special about it, we are going to approach it like every other game and go for victory,” Ambrose told MTNFootball.com
CSKA Moscow forward Ahmed Musa told MTNFootball.com that they are going to approach the game as a cup final.
“It won’t be easy and we are not taking it easy. We will approach the game with all seriousness that a cup final deserves. We won’t underrate Ethiopia despite winning the first leg in Addis Ababa,” Musa assured.
•Text: MTNFootball.com •Photo shows Super Eagles’ reliable goal poacher, Emmanuel Emenike.
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