A little prayer for Finidi
Finidi George recalled that as an upcoming midfielder in Port Harcourt he earned the nickname ‘Show’ when he would often boast to his teammates that he will show himself in their next game.
On Friday night in Uyo, it will be Showtime for Finidi the Super Eagles coach.
Nigeria’s qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is hanging by a thread after two laboured draws last November with Lesotho and Zimbabwe.
And so the home match against Bafana Bafana is a MUST-WIN.
South Africa are the Super Eagles main rivals in a group that has two Southern African teams, Lesotho and Zimbabwe, as well as Benin and Rwanda.
They are second in Group C with three points, a point ahead of Nigeria.
Bafana coach Hugo Broos is a wily, old fox who master minded Cameroon to win the 2017 AFCON against most expectations.
He almost upstaged Nigeria four months ago to qualify South Africa to the final of the delayed 2023 AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire.
The semifinal in Bouake was a tight contest and after 1-1 in regulation time, it needed a penalty shootout to determine the AFCON finalists.
The Super Eagles eventually triumphed 4-2 on penalties, but Broos insisted that for mother luck, his team should have marched on to the championship game.
“With a bit of luck, we would have been the team in the AFCON final, not Nigeria, because we were the better team in the semifinal,” the Belgian maintained.
“We would have won that game.
“So, we don’t have to be afraid, we should have the confidence and the belief (going into this World Cup qualifier).
“I don’t want to lose this game.”
In that same press conference, Broos revealed his target for the matches against Nigeria and Zimbabwe is to record at least four out of a possible six points.
A more careful study of what he is saying will tell you he will be happy with a draw in Uyo.
Such a result would mean another two points dropped by the Super Eagles and it will certainly dent the confidence of both the team and the public heading into a tricky away game to Benin three days later.
Finidi could not have hoped for a sterner test at the start of one of the toughest football jobs around.
He was the result of a rather contentious process to appoint a new coach in place of Jose Peseiro and there are still some who swear Emmanuel Amuneke is better suited for the post.
Finidi got off a good footing with his first squad list that was made up players on current form, but some have already attributed the late reporting to training camp by eight players to an affront on his authority.
The Eagles will miss the goals and commitment of Victor Osimhen, but it is for Ademola Lookman and Victor Boniface to step up and be counted when on a day the whole country is behind the team.
Seven years ago at the same venue, South Africa inflicted a 2-0 home defeat on the Super Eagles and stop them from the 2019 AFCON.
Percy Tau scored one of the goals and he will again be spearheading the South African goal threat Friday night.
So, there will be no half measures from Finidi or the boys because anything short of the full points will not do.
Like the ever spiritual NFF president Ibrahim Gusau will always offer, let’s just say a little prayer for Finidi to show on the day.
