Nigeria have been urged to assert their dominance in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, with African football expert Thomas Kwenaite calling on the Super Eagles to prove their pedigree on the pitch.
Nigeria have been drawn in Group L of the Afcon qualifiers, alongside Madagascar, Tanzania and Guinea-Bissau.
However, Tanzania are automatically qualified as co-hosts of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
As a result, only the highest-ranked team in Group L, excluding the Taifa Stars, will secure qualification to the finals.
With the Super Eagles missing out on the 2026 World Cup following a penalty shootout defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the African playoff final, Kwenaite stressed the importance of Nigeria rising to the occasion and avoiding any slip-ups in the Afcon qualifying campaign.
Speaking on SuperSport’s Soccer Africa, monitored by allnigeriasoccer.com, Kwenaite said: "You don't want a host waiting a year for the tournament to start and then getting knocked out in the first round.
"The group in which Nigeria find themselves with Tanzania, if Nigeria doesn’t want to sit at home like they are doing right now to watch the big guns taking part in the World Cup, then they need to beat Tanzania, top that group and qualify. That is what is needed.
"Let them prove to us that they are the Super Eagles, not Super chickens."
Nigeria are three-time Africa Cup of Nations winners from 21 tournament appearances, with their most recent triumph dating back thirteen years.
Ifeanyi Emmanuel
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