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Former Nigeria international and Super Eagles Coordinator, Patrick Pascal, has said that, Nigeria would not underestimate any team at the start of the African preliminary round qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Nigeria will be starting the journey to Qatar World Cup in Group C, as the three-times African champions are drawn alongside Cape-Verde, Central Africa Republic and Liberia, after the draws was conducted by CAF inside the Nile Ritz-Carlton in Cairo, Egypt on Tuesday evening,
Pascal, who spoke to LEADERSHIP Sports while reacting to the continent’s draws, started that Nigeria stand a good chance to qualify to the group stage and the playoff rounds.
“We all know that, there are no more small teams in Africa, because every country wants to prove bookmaker wrong, that is why the Super Eagles will not be underrating any team during the preliminary round” he said.
“We have a good and young team now, and the players are ready to give their best to the country anytime they are call upon to do so, you can see that played out in our 2021 AFCON qualifying games”.
Pascal, who doubles as the Chairman of the Bauchi State football association (BSFA) also stated that the technical crew of the Super Eagles would do everything humanly possible within the rules of the round leather game to fly the country’s flag at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
“Am confident that the technical crew will ensure that, the Super Eagles compete at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with the supports of the Nigeria football federation and the government” he added.
Nigeria’s first game, coming up in October this year, will be against the Lone Star of Liberia, who reached this stage after shoving neighbours Sierra Leone in the first round.
Each of the 40 teams will play two matches each towards the end of this year, with the remaining four matches coming up next year. The third and final round of the qualifiers will see the 10 winners of the pools drawn into five explosive home-and-away fixtures that will produce Africa’s flagbearers in Qatar. Those knockout games come up in November 2021.
GROUP A
ALGERIA
BURKINA FASO
NIGER
DJIBOUTI
GROUP B
TUNISIA
ZAMBIA
MAURITANIA
EQITORIA GUNIEA
GROUP C
NIGERIA
CAPE VERDE
CENTRAL AFRICA REP
LIBERIA
GROUP D
CAMEROON
COTE D’ IVOIRE
MOZAMBIQUE
MALAWI
GROUP E
MALI
UGANDA
KENYA
RWANDA
GROUP F
EGYPT
GABON
LIBYA
ANGOLA
GROUP G
GHANA
SOUTH AFRICA
ZIMBABWE
ETHIOPIA
GROUP H
SENEGAL
CONGO
NAMIBIA
TOGO
GROUP I
MOROCCO
GUINEA
GUINEA BISSAU
SUDAN
GROUP J
CONGO DR
BENIN
MADAGASCAR
TANZANIA