THE Super Eagles of Nigeria will give their full attention to Saturday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Rwanda rather than worry about the tough trip to South Africa next week, according to captain William Troost-Ekong.
The three-time African champions host the Amavubi at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Saturday with their World Cup hopes hanging in the balance, as they are six points behind qualifying group leaders Bafana Bafana.
In order to still have any kind of hope of still topping the group and earning the only guaranteed ticket though, the Super Eagles must beat Rwanda.
Troost-Ekong is well aware of this need and he has insisted that the Super Eagles will cross the Bafana Bafana bridge when they get there
“You take one step at a time. We have Rwanda to play on Saturday, and there are three points there,” the Saudi Arabia-based centre-back said today as he previewed the Uyo clash.
“After that is concluded, then we begin to think of South Africa.
“There are three points also in there when we play in Bloemfontein, but that is a few days after Rwanda. Rwanda comes first.”
The Super Eagles have had an underwhelming campaign so far, failing to win any of their first four group matches, and securing only one victory in six games.
However, Troost-Ekong believes all hope is not lost.
He added: “We will do our very best to go all out and win the remaining four matches. Hopefully, that will be good enough to take us there.”
The encounter with Rwanda, who lost to the Super Eagles in Kigali in March, is a Matchday 7 fixture, while the fixture with South Africa is a Matchday 8 encounter.
Troost-Ekong is keen to avoid the scenario at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, when the Super Eagles were focused on a potential clash with Brazil in the quarter-finals, and failed to concentrate on their round of 16 tie with Denmark, which they lost embarrassingly 4-1.
The Super Eagles camp in Uyo reached full capacity on Wednesday evening, with the arrivals of midfielders Raphael Onyedika and Christantus Uche, and forwards Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze and Tolu Arokodare.