Super Eagles midfielder Frank Onyeka has urged Nigeria to begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a victory when they face Madagascar on Friday.
Nigeria will welcome the Barea to the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo for their opening Group L fixture, with the match scheduled to kick off at 5pm local time.
Onyeka stressed the importance of collecting maximum points from the encounter as the Super Eagles begin their journey towards securing a place at the continental tournament.
The Brentford midfielder acknowledged that Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was disappointing, but said the team must now focus on the challenge ahead.
According to Onyeka, the AFCON qualifiers provide the squad with a new opportunity to respond positively and build momentum.
He told reporters during a media interaction in Uyo that the players must approach every fixture with the objective of securing a win.
The Super Eagles will be looking to make home advantage count against Madagascar as Eric Chelle begins another competitive campaign with the national team.
With qualification at stake, Nigeria will hope for a strong performance from the players and a positive result in Uyo.
The encounter also offers the Super Eagles an opportunity to put their recent disappointment behind them and begin preparations for next year’s AFCON tournament on a positive footing.
