By John EGBOKHAN
Coach Stephen Keshi has fired a strong warning to his Super Eagles players ahead of their  two-legged playoffs match for a place in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The African champions topped their qualifying group but still have to play  a  playoffs match in October and November to seal their World Cup place.

From Left: National Team Goalkeeper Trainer, Ike Shorunmu; Assistant Coach, Daniel Amokachi, and Super Eagles Chief Coach, Stephen Keshi during a media parley in Abuja

After securing back-to-back wins against  Malawi and  Burkina Faso in Calabar and Kaduna respectively, the Eagles coach told his players that the job of qualifying for the Mundial can be undone by conceding away goal.

Reacting to the goal scored by the Burkinabes in their 4-1 rout at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium on Tuesday, Keshi warned his wards that such a Greek gift was not going to be tolerated in their playoff match.

“That we have qualified from our group is a good thing but like I told my players, the job is only half-done. We are now in the business-end of the race to the World Cup, where any silly mistake like conceding a goal away or at home might have negative consequences to our ambition.

“Conceding a goal in this playoff can be dangerous. It can be crucial in deciding the winner and I am going to work on this aspect, so that we can come out unscathed at the end of the day.

“It is good in a way that we conceded against Burkina Faso because it has opened my eyes to this reality and must ensure that the boys stay alert until the job is finished”, Keshi added in Kaduna.