Akpeyi: I believe in the quality of our squad

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Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi is confident Nigeria have enough quality within their squad to qualify for the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar.

The Super Eagles are set to take on rivals Ghana in their World Cup third-round qualifier at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi on Friday evening before playing the return leg at the Abuja’s Moshood Abiola National Stadium on 29 March.

Akpeyi strongly believes that this crop of players has the ability to overcome their rivals for a positive result in their two-legged fixture.

“We have a crop of good players who are able to qualify for Nigeria to Qatar,” Akpeyi told his club’s official website.

“Ghana is also a strong team, there has been a rivalry between the countries on many things. Football is a big part of this; at the end of the day, it is the team that prepares very well and gets ready to take their chances and defend as well. That is the team that will qualify.

“I believe in the quality of our squad at the moment fully. We will qualify.

“For me history does not really work for football. What works for football is the preparation for today, currently, we are doing well and we have been to the last three World Cups. This is not going to be any different. It is not going to be a walk in the park but we going to give our heart out there.”

The Super Eagles will be boosted by having the likes of Odion Ighalo, Emmanuel Dennis, Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman available for the qualifiers and Akpeyi welcomes these additions, given that Nigeria are missing the suspended Alex Iwobi.

“It’s a good thing for the team, it’s good for the coach. He now has options like Osimhen, Ighalo and Dennis from Watford, Lookman as well. These are strong players who can give us the result we desire at the end of the day,” he added.

“We missed Ighalo and Osimhen during the Afcon, they have been a strong force for us. Now that they are back, we hope everything plays out as we expect it and that we qualify.”