Ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup play-off matchup with Gabon in November, former Super Eagles goalkeeper Idah Peterside has warned Eric Chelle’s team that Gabon is a rising force in African football, similar to Cape Verde, who have already qualified for the 2026 World Cup. Nigeria and Gabon, who both missed out on automatic qualification, will now face each other in the playoffs.Peterside challenged the Super Eagles to show that they are still among the footballing powerhouses on the continent and to establish their dominance in an interview with Soccer Beat. “The playoffs will present difficulties. The fact that Gabon [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang and his side were assigned to us indicates that they are progressing similarly to Cape Verde,” the former goalie stated. “We are superpowers; we should be able to show Gabon that we are a better team and a well-known brand, even though they are demonstrating their ascent.”
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