Super Eagles draw with Sierra Leone again, close in on AFCON ticket

THE Super Eagles took another step towards qualifying for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations with a 0-0 draw against Sierra Leone in Freetown on Tuesday.

The Nigerians had vowed to win in Freetown to make up for the embarrassing 4-4 draw in Benin City four days earlier.

But the resilient Leone Stars, who had pulled off a modern day miracle by forcing a draw from 4-0 down on Friday, held on for another point.

Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr made two changes to the starting line-up, Kelechi Iheanacho and Ola Aina replacing the injured Victor Osimhen and Zaidu Sanusi respectively.

Despite the changes, the Super Eagles struggled on the patchy Siaka Stevens Stadium pitch, failing to create any significant chances in a flat first half.

Instead, it was the Leone Stars that threatened and looked like scoring.

Galatasaray midfielder Oghenekaro Etebo was forced off injured in the 30th minute, replaced by Cyprus-based Shehu Abdullahi.

Rohr made more changes in the second half but the Super Eagles could not break down the Leone Stars defence.

Chidozie Anwaziem replaced Kevin Akpoguma, while Emmanuel Dennis came on for Iheanacho with less than 20 minutes left but the changes made no difference.

With the draw, Nigeria remain on top of Group L of the qualifiers with eight points, one ahead of Benin Republic who drew with Lesotho also on Tuesday.

Sierra Leone are third with three points, with Lesotho bottom with two points.

Another draw for the Super Eagles in one of their remaining two fixtures would confirm their place at the 2022 AFCON in Cameroon.