Super Eagles and Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has said that the priority for him and his team mates is to beat Egypt at home on Friday so as to improve their chances of qualifying for next year’s AFCON in Gabon after they missed last year’s tournament in Equatorial Guinea. The Eagles are two points behind Egypt who lead the group in the qualifiers for Gabon 2017, but a win in Kaduna tomorrow will see the three-time African champions leapfrog their closest rivals before a reverse clash in Alexandria four days later. Chad hosted Tanzania in the group’s other match yesterday in Ndjamena but lost 0-1 and are stuck at the bottom of the group with no point while Tanzania now have four points from three matches. Super Eagles players loosening up after training in Kaduna yesterday. Super Eagles players loosening up after training in Kaduna yesterday. “Egypt are ahead of us in the qualifiers, we therefore have to win on Friday so as to go above them on the table,” said Mikel, who has been mobbed by eager fans at the team’s trainings in Abuja and Kaduna. “So, Friday’s match is really the big one and we are playing at home. “We are ready.” “We must beat Egypt and go on to qualify for the Nations Cup,” added defender Chibuzor Okonkwo, who has staged a comeback to the team on the return of coach Samson Siasia at the helm. Kick-off time on Friday has been moved to 5pm, when the weather would be a lot cooler and not affect the home team’s overseas-based pros.
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