World Cup Playoffs: 5 teams the Super Eagles could face in the African Qualifiers
The Super Eagles of Nigeria played out a drab draw at home to Cape Verde in the final game of the group stages in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
Victor Osimhen, who emerged man of the match, capitalised on a poor clearance to put the Super Eagles ahead in the first minute of the game.
But the lead lasted just five minutes as Cape Verde drew level through Dos Santos Tavares who latched on to a loose ball from a corner to score from six yards.
Despite Nigeria's dominance, especially in the opening half, a combination of poor finishing of Odion Ighalo, who returned to the Super Eagles starting XI for the first time since over two years, and excellent goalkeeping from the Cape Verdean goalkeeper ensures the spoils were shared by both teams at the Teslim Balogun stadium on Tuesday evening.
Not a vintage performance but the point was just enough to see the Super Eagles through to the final round alongside nine countries for the playoffs next year.
Consequently, Nigeria is one of five teams seeded for the playoffs, with Senegal, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia the other four.
This development means the Super Eagles will not be facing any of the seeded countries in the final round, but could still battle other giants of the game in the continent.
The likes of Egypt, Ghana, neighbours Cameroon are some of the unseeded teams that the Super Eagles could lock horns with for a place in Qatar next year.
Others are Group E winners, Mali, who completed the group stages without conceding a goal and Congo DR, who came from behind to book a spot on the final day.
The draw for the final round of matches is December 18, 2021 while the playoffs are slated for March, 2022.
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