…Predicts former DR Congo captain Gabriel Zakuani
The Super Eagles of Nigeria will not win the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations even if they clinch qualification later this month, says former DR Congo captain Gabriel Zakuani.
The three-time African champions are currently top of Group L where all the teams, which include Benin, Sierra Leone and Lesotho, can still qualify for January’s finals in Cameroon.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles would have already qualified had they not let slip a 4-0 lead at home to Sierra Leone, who salvaged a dramatic 4-4 draw with two goals in the last ten minutes, last November.
“At this moment, I don’t quite feel they are ready because champions will not give away four-goal leads, so I don’t expect them to win,” Zakuani told a special edition of the BBC’s Sport Africa TV programme.
“I feel like it has come too soon for them to win it. [It’s time] for them to just be there, compete and then push on again.”
March sees the culmination of Nations Cup qualifying with the final two rounds of matches in each of the 12 groups, where 39 of the 48 teams can still go through.
So far, Algeria, Senegal, Tunisia and Mali have joined hosts Cameroon at the delayed finals, leaving 19 places left to fill.
Nigeria currently top Group L on eight points, one ahead of Benin while Sierra Leone have three points and Lesotho two.
The first matches later this month sees the Nigerians travelling to Benin while Lesotho host Sierra Leone.
On the final match day, Nigeria will play Lesotho in Lagos while Sierra Leone play Benin in a game moved to Guinea because the stadium in Freetown has been prevented from hosting international matches.
Zakuani has blamed a lack of consistency in the squad and insisted upon a need for a settled side.