Former Nigerian international Friday Ekpo has backed the Super Eagles to reproduce their dominant display against Iran when they take on Jordan on Tuesday.
The 2025 AFCON bronze medalists claimed a convincing 2-1 win over Iran last Friday and will be eyeing another better performance when they face Jordan.
It marked their first game since the conclusion of the AFCON tournament, when they defeated Egypt on penalties to win the third-placed playoff match.
Moses Simon and Akor Adams grabbed the goals for Nigeria, while Iran’s consolation came through Mehdi Taremi in the second half.
Related: Super Eagles dealt double blow ahead of Jordan game
The Super Eagles are in a period of rebuild as they will not feature at the upcoming World Cup, after they missed out on qualification to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the CAF playoff finals, while their appeals for the Leopards to be disqualified after fielding ineligible players was dismissed by FIFA.
However, with the African giants preparing for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers later this year, head coach Eric Chelle is using this opportunity to further assess his squad ahead of the campaign.
What Friday Ekpo said
Former Nigerian midfielder Friday Ekpo has described the victory over Iran as a significant confidence boost and is backing the team to deliver a similar performance when they face Jordan on Tuesday.
“This is a good victory for the Super Eagles against Iran considering the fact that this is the first time the players are playing together after the conclusion of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations,” Ekpo stated.
“This victory will definitely help boost the confidence of the players now that the rebuilding process has kicked started.We need to build on what we have at the moment.
“I am glad that the rebuilding process has started ahead of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers. We don’t want a repeat of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, so the earlier we start the process, the better for the national team. I expect more of this performance when the team confront Jordan in their final game”, he concluded.
Nigeria will face Jordan at the Antalya Sports Complex in Turkey on Tuesday, hoping to record their second victory of the international break.
