Big match feature: Congo v Nigeria

Nigeria will be on the march again towards qualifying for the Orange Africa Cup of Nations when the Super Eagles engage the Red Devils of Congo at the Stade Municipal in Pointe Noire on November 15th.

The African champions have had a yo-yo qualifying campaign so far and had to wait till match day three to pick her first points and match day four to pick up a first win in what surely has been a rough patch for the Super Eagles

The crisis at the Nigeria Football Federation looked to have overshadowed the team's quest on the pitch as Amaju Pinnick and Chris Giwa have gone full throttle for control of Nigeria's football.

Matters got to a head when Stephen Keshi, who had earlier been relieved from his post as the Super Eagles gaffer after the Sudan win last month, suddenly made a comeback to the team and will now lead the Super Eagles against Congo this weekend.

Congo are also in dire straits after a impressive start to the campaign which started with 3-2 win over Nigeria away. The Red Devils haven't won in the last two games and even lost at home to the Bafana Bafana.

Coach Claude Leroy will have to wave his magic wand to make things happen for his Congolese team who would love to do a number on Nigeria and add to their seven points from four match days.

Match background:

Nigeria have a herculean task ahead in Pointe Noire. The Eagles are condemned to win, anything short of that will spell and end to her dream of defending the title.

Sitting in third place on four points, the best Nigeria can hope for is 10 points from the remaining games to qualify or at least have a shot as the best third placed side int he qualifying series.

Stephen Keshi knows he is on the knife's edge and will need his wards to produce a near perfect game and pull the rabbit out of the hat in Pointe Noire to get the points on deck.

Congo have fallen short as the qualifiers have reached the business end and remain in second place with seven points from four matches.

The Red Devils started the series like a house on fire, nicking two straight wins against Nigeria in Calabar and Sudan at home, but then hit a purple patch.

It went downhill from there ,losing to South Africa in Pointe Noire and grabbing a face saving draw in the reverse leg has put added pressure on Claude Leroy. He wants to produce the goods against Nigeria. It promises to be an exciting game where winner takes all.

The shocker in Calabar

Head to Head

Nigeria have met Congo eight times at full international level, the most recent being the 3-2 reversal in Calabar on September 5th 2014. Congo have beaten Nigeria three times, drawn two and lost three.

Flashback: Duels between Nigeria and Congo.

30 November 1970 Africa Nations Cup, Congo 2 Nigeria 1

5 August 1972, Fifa World Cup, Africa qualifiers , Nigeria 2 Congo 1

15 August 1972 Fifa World Cup qualifiers, Congo 1 Nigeria 1

13 June 1975, Africa Nations Cup qualifiers, Congo 0 Nigeria 1

20 December 1992, Fifa World Cup qualifiers, Group D Congo 1 Nigeria 0

7 February 1993 Fifa World Cup qualifiers, Group D ;Nigeria 2 Congo 0

28 January 2000, Africa Cup of Nations, Group D game; Nigeria 0 Congo 0

6 September 2014, Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers; Nigeria 2 Congo 3

Form going into the game;

Nigeria;

L L L L D W

Congo;

W L W W L D

Team news:

Nigeria welcome back Villareal FC striker Ikechukwu Uche back into the Eagles nest after nearly two years in the international wilderness.

The former Getafe striker fell out with coach Stephen Keshi during the 2013 Afcon which Nigeria won, and hasn't worn the green and white for the Eagles since then.

Enyimba youngster Kingsley Sokari got a late call up after impressing in the friendly international against Ghana's Black Meteors and he will lead a cast of home based players like Chigozie Agbim, Solomon Kwambe, Osagouna Ighodaro and Nasarawa United's Tony Edjomarigwe who is making his maiden bow for the Eagles.

Congo have captain and Olympiakos Piraeus midfielder Delvin Odinga back for the crucial tie after he missed the Calabar leg against the Eagles. Claude Leroy has no injury worries and will have the full complement of his team.

Ahmed Musa: The Nigeria forward has been in a rich vein of form lately for his CSKA Moscow side especially in the Uefa Champions League where he tormented the Manchester City back line to no ends.

His pace and improved finishing will be crucial in Pointe Noire on match day. He will look to continue his goal scoring run after notching two goals in Nigeria's 3-1 defeat of Sudan in Abuja last month.

Congo

Thievy Bifouma: The Almeria forward needs no introduction to Nigerian fans. He was the main man in the Congolese side that ran the Eagles ragged in Calabar on match day one.

Bifouma, who is on loan at Almeria from another Spanish side Espanyol was on target last weekend against Barcelona and will hope he can reenact same against Nigeria.

Blessed with pace and good dribbling skills, Claude Leroy will look to him to pull the strings for the Red Devils when they meet the Super Eagles and hope they can eke out maximum points against the reigning African champions.

What they said:

"All the boys know what I expect from them, what Nigerians expect from them. This is like war.

"It's like a final because if we don't win, there will be nothing to play for when we face South Africa next week.

"The boys must give a hundred percent because we are going to be meeting a very good side on Saturday."

Nigeria coach, Stephen Keshi

"Nigeria can forget about winning here ( Pointe Noire). What happened against South Africa cannot happen again. We are going to make sure of that."

Congo coach, Claude Leroy

Teams:

Nigeria

Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Lille OSC, France); Austin Ejide (Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Israel); Chigozie Agbim (Gombe United, Nigeria)

Defenders: Elderson Echiejile (Monaco FC, France); Juwon Oshaniwa (Ashdod FC, Israel); Efe Ambrose (Celtic FC, Scotland); Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars, Nigeria); Godfrey Oboabona (Rizespor FC, Turkey); Kenneth Omeruo (Middlesbrough FC, England); Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves, Nigeria)

Midfielders: John Mikel Obi (Chelsea FC, England); Ogenyi Onazi (SS Lazio, Italy); Hope Akpan (Reading FC, England); Raheem Lawal (Eskisehirspor FC, Turkey); Omatsone Aluko (Hull City, England); Tony Edjomarigwe (Nasarawa United, Nigeria) Kingsley Sokari (Enyimba)

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Emmanuel Emenike (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey); Gbolahan Salami (Warri Wolves, Nigeria); Osaguona Ighodaro (Enugu Rangers, Nigeria); Ikechukwu Uche (Villareal FC, Spain); Aaron Samuel (Guangzhou R&F, China); Sunday Emmanuel (SV Scholz Grodig, Austria); Babatunde Michael (Volyn Lutsk, Ukraine): Emem Eduok (Dolphins FC, Nigeria)

Congo

Goalkeepers: Christoffer Mafoumbi, Chancel Massa, Pavel N'Dzila.

Defenders: Francis N'Ganga, Igor N'Ganga, Marvin Baudry, Arnold Bouka Mutu Boris Moubhio Dimitri Bissiki, Manick Itoua, Baron Kibamba.

Midfielders: Prince Oniangue, Julsy Boukama-Kaya, Césaire Gandzé ,Wisdom Babele, Hardy Binguila, Saira Issambet. Delvin Odinga

Strikers: Thievy Bifouma, Fode Dore, Franci Litsingi ,Ladislas Douniama, Kader Bidimbou, Sylver Ganvoula, Christmas Mokouka.

The first two teams in each group qualify automatically for Afcon 2015, while the best third place teams slot it out for the remaining spot for the African showpiece football event.