Abdullahi Bewene: ‘Every Super Eagles player is thinking of just one thing’

Super Eagles defender Abdullahi Bewene has revealed the team’s main objective ahead of their crucial doubleheader against Tanzania in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

The 21-year-old earned a return to the national team ahead of the two important fixtures and is now preparing to make his first appearance for Nigeria on home soil.

Bewene’s previous appearances for the Super Eagles have all come in friendly matches. He made his debut in the 2-2 draw against Poland in June before featuring in the 2-1 defeat to Portugal later that month.

The Baník Ostrava defender also played in Nigeria’s 3-3 draw with Russia in October and now has the chance to make his competitive debut for the national team when they face Tanzania in the first leg on Friday.

The three-time African champions have little room for further mistakes after a difficult start to their qualifying campaign and they now need to deliver positive results in both matches to improve their position and keep their hopes of reaching the 2027 AFCON alive.

Abdullahi Bewene reveals what Super Eagles want from Tanzania clash

Nigeria will face Tanzania in a crucial qualifying doubleheader, with the first leg scheduled for Friday before both teams meet again four days later.

The Super Eagles currently sit second in their group with three points from two matches, having recorded one win and one defeat. With only one available qualification spot and four games remaining, Nigeria cannot afford another disappointing result.

Abdullahi Bewene, who is hoping to make his competitive debut for the national team, is excited about the possibility of playing in front of Nigerian supporters for the first time and also understands the need for the team to return to winning ways.

“I cannot wait to come out of the tunnel for the game and see the fans. It is good to be back home and playing in front of our fans, so it is a good feeling”, Bewene told Footy-Africa.

“This is my first invitation where I will be playing in Nigeria for the Super Eagles. All the three times I have played have been abroad.

“There was Portugal, Poland and Russia, and this is my first official competitive match for Nigeria. We are in a serious situation where we need to win our games henceforth, and that is the mindset that all of us have in camp.”

Nigeria will be looking to respond after suffering a shocking 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in their last qualifying match. The result came after their opening 2-1 victory over Madagascar and left the team with plenty of work to do in their remaining fixtures.

Anything less than a victory on Friday would be a major setback for the Super Eagles and could seriously damage their chances of qualifying for the tournament.

“Every player is thinking of just one thing: victory over Tanzania in the two games. We are going to do our best to make sure that we make Nigerians proud.

“If the coach picks me to play, I will put in my best, like I always do at both club and country level. I am excited to be back home to play for Nigeria”, he added.

The first leg between Nigeria and Tanzania will take place on Friday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, with kick-off scheduled for 5pm Nigerian time.

The return fixture will be played in Tanzania on November 17, as the Super Eagles look to strengthen their chances of securing a place at the 2027 AFCON.