Nigeria coach Austin Eguavoen believes the team is more than half way through to qualifying for the 2022 World Cup to be staged in Qatar.
The Super Eagles held Ghana to a goalless draw at the Baba Yara Stadium in the first leg of the qualifier.
Ghana dominated possession, recorded the most shots and kept Super Eagles’ star-studded attack at bay in front of a large crowd in Kumasi.
Speaking ahead of the second leg in Abuja, Eguavoen expressed the Super Eagles are more than half way to qualifying for the World Cup after sharing the spoils in Kumasi.
“The team is in high spirit we are more than half way through I had a word with them and praise them because they were resilient,” Eguavoen said on NFF TV. “They worked hard in such an atmosphere so I think it was a fair result.
“Some players didn’t get involved now because one or two had a knock yesterday and recover training, people that played 90 and 94 minutes usually we do just a little bit and then rest.
“People who didn’t play up to 70 minutes will do more, that’s exactly what we just did like few of them that had knocks like Chukwueze we just want to rest him and he can probably resume tomorrow.”
Nigeria arrived back in Abuja in the early hours of Saturday morning after Friday’s game and have started preparing for the second leg in Abuja.
With the 0-0 draw in the first leg, a win would be enough to secure Nigeria’s place at World Cup finals.
Meanwhile, Ghana need a scoring draw or a win to eliminate their West African rivals and reach Qatar.
Black Stars are expected to travel to Abuja on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s crunch match.
The game will take place at the 60,000 capacity Moshood Abiola National Stadium.
Footballghana.com