BY: JUDE OPARA, ABUJA

With barely 10 days to the all important Russia 2018 World Cup qualifier between Nigeria and Algeria, Nigerians soccer fans are already looking forward to another superlative performance by the national team, the Super Eagles.

However, it is pertinent to state that the desired result can only be achieved if the entire country in reality rally behind the team and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). Certainly, this should not be the time to bicker and to work at cross purposes.

In recent times, Nigerian national teams have not been finding it easy to qualify for international championships. Already the junior national teams, the U-17 and U-20 male teams failed to qualify for their African championships. The implication is that they will also not be at the world championships scheduled to take place next year.

And to crown it all, the senior national team, the Super Eagles equally failed to qualify for the 2017 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament. Indeed the real pains of the series of failure will be felt next year when those championships will be taking place without Nigeria.

But going forward, Coach Gernot Rohr has invited some of the best legs Nigeria can boast of and it is expected that they be given all that is necessary for them to fly over the Algerians.

The World Cup therefore, appears to be the silver lining that will reassure hope on Nigerians with the superlative performance of the Super Eagles in their first group ‘B’ match of the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers with a 2-1 victory over the Chipolopolo of Zambia.

The away win in the notorious Ndola where the Zambians were said to have never lost a match speaks volume of the readiness of the team to put a little smile on the faces of their teeming fans by clinching the sole group ticket.

The odds for now really favour Nigeria because in the other group game also played the same day, both pre-tournament favourites, Algeria and Cameroon settled for a 1-1 draw; a result that indeed places Nigeria at the top of the log.

What matters now is for every well meaning stakeholder in Nigerian football to rally behind these boys to ensure that they cement their position on the log by defeating number one African rated nation, Algeria when they come calling on November 12. Victory in that match will ensure that Nigeria is well positioned to top the group irrespective of what happens in the other game between Cameroon and Zambia.

No effort should be left in making sure that the team gets the necessary support at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo before, during and after the November 12 when the match is to be played.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) that has been crying of lack of funds for its operations must begin now to start the paper works to the federal government to release the needed funds for a hitch-free prosecution of that encounter.

In the same light, the federal government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports must be ready to advance any amount necessary for the federation to prosecute this match. The repeat of the scenario before the team went to Zambia for the first game must not be encouraged by all means.

It is important to also advise all those who may not like the face of the leadership of the NFF to please remember that the success or otherwise of the team is not just for the present board members but the entire country.

Nigeria as a country must avoid a repeat of the embarrassing situation where the national U-20 team, the Flying Eagles who after defeating their Sudanese counterparts away came home to lose and thereby crashing out of the African Youth Championship (AWC).

We hear that some Nigerians for reasons best known to them usually work and pray for the national teams to fail to qualify for such championships; such attribute must not be allowed this time around because nobody will flog Amaju Pinnick if Nigeria also fails to qualify for the World Cup.

With the Monday ruling of the Supreme Court striking out the suit of Chris Giwa and his group, it is hoped that the crisis rocking the NFF has now come to an end and all stakeholders should therefore support the federation to navigate the team to victory.