Nigeria to face Cameroon, Algeria in World Cup qualifiers




Bitter rivals Nigeria and Cameroon will meet at the Russia 2018 World Cup final round qualifiers  after being drawn together in Group B in Friday’s draw in Cairo. Algeria and  Zambia  are the other teams in their group.
Tunisia are  drawn with DR Congo,  Guinea  and Libya in Group A, while African champions Ivory Coast are in Group C alongside Mali, Morocco and Gabon.
Korea/Japan 2002 World Cup quarterfinalists Senegal face Cape Verde, South Africa and Burkina Faso in Group D.
 South Africa 2010 World Cup quarterfinalists Ghana  are up against record five-time African champions  Egypt, Congo and  Uganda in Group E.
Hostilities  and will  begin  in  the five groups in October. Only the winners of each group will qualify for Russia 2018.
Four-time African champions Cameroon  (1984, 1988, 2000, 2002) have appeared  in the prestigious football showpiece seven times (1982, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2010, 2014). They are the only African team who have played seven times at the World Cup – and the first to reach the quarterfinals (at Italy ’90).
Nigeria, who  have appeared in the tournament five times  (1994, 1998, 2002, 2010, 2014)   face an uphill task against  eternal nemesis Cameroon, who denied them  qualification  for Italy ’90.
 The Indomitable Lions, who won the Abidjan ‘84 and  Maroc ’88 Africa Cup of Nations at the Super Eagles’ expense, beat  Nigeria  1-0 in  their return leg Italy ’90  qualifier  in  Yaounde on August 27, 1989   to  denied their visitors a  place in the World Cup.
 Nigeria  had won the home leg 2-0 in Ibadan on March 17, 1988 and needed just a draw In Yaounde to reach Italy,  but Francois Omam-Biyik  31st minute goal at the  Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium ended Nigeria’s qualification dreams.
 The late Stephen Keshi, Samson Siasia, Sunday Eboigbe, Ademola Adesina, Friday Elaho and Etim Esin  were on duty for Nigeria.
Nigeria  will rely on experienced players such as  Mikel Obi, Kenneth Omeruo, Godfrey Oboabona  and Ahmed Musa to stop Cameroon’s  Schalke 04 striker  Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting, Stephane Mbia, Porto’s Vincent Aboubakar and Tottenham’s Clinton N’Jie.
Algeria, the highest ranked side on the continent, also pose a threat to Nigeria’s qualification hopes.
The Desert Warriors knocked Nigeria out of the race to  ESPANA ’82  World Cup, but Nigeria came back to qualify for USA ’94 at the North African’s expense.
Algeria  beat Nigeria 1-0 to win the 1990 African Cup of Nations on home soil – 10 years after the Eagles defeated 3-0 in the final of 1980 edition in Lagos.
It is a tough draw… preparations have  to start right now and we must make good use of every single day leading to the kick -off of the series,” NFF President Amaju Pinnick said.
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