AFCON disappointment will motivate us to qualify for World Cup – Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong

Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong believes Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon will motivate the Super Eagles to secure qualification to the 2022 World Cup tournament in Qatar.

The Super Eagles will play the Black Stars of Ghana in a two-legged encounter with the winner in both legs qualifying to the biggest soccer mundial.

Ghana will play host to Nigeria on March 25, 2022 before the reverse fixture at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.

Nigeria suffered round 16 exit from the AFCON tournament in Cameroon despite showing glimpses of good performance in the group stages.

Ahead of the encounter, the Watford towering guardsman says their early exit from the AFCON 2021 will serve as a motivation for the team to secure qualification at the expense of Ghana.

“I was at the last World Cup (Russia 2018) and I will say it’s the biggest highlight of my career; and I will like to go there again and do better than we did last time,” the 28-year-old Watford’s defender told NationSport in an exclusive interview. “I know what impact qualifying for the Qatar 2022 World Cup would make.

“I know the boys (Super Eagles) will be fired up and we are going to be a very hungry team and give our best so that we can make Nigeria proud again after the disappointment of the AFCON,”

“Nigerians are going to see a very, very hungry team against Ghana in March, “assured the Haarlem-born Troost-Ekong who ditched his country of birth to debut for Nigeria in 2015.

“A team that is ready to give everything in order to see our country at the next World Cup in Qatar.

“Following the disappointment at the AFCON in Cameroon, we would as a matter of fact, be using that as a motivation to qualify for the World Cup; and that is what I can say for now as per the play-off against Ghana. “