Sports
NIGERIA defenders Semi Ajayi and Ola Aina are teaming up for the Super Eagles for the Cup of Nations qualifiers – but in the Premier League, they are relegation rivals at West Brom and Fulham.
And with 10 games remaining in the season, the drama is increasing at the foot of the table.
The Baggies, who have collected just three wins all season, find themselves 10 points adrift of 17th place.
“It’s not easy. We are desperate right now and we need points as soon as possible,” Ajayi told BBC Sport Africa.
“I’d say everyone’s written us off but we definitely haven’t really written ourselves off.”
Not all doom and gloom
Portsmouth and West Ham went on to secure Premier League survival from similar positions in 2006 and 2007 respectively, and Ajayi is hopeful 19th-placed West Brom can haul themselves out of trouble.
“We are still fighting, we still haven’t given up,” he said.
“We still have belief, we still have hope and it’s just about taking one game at a time.
“Giving our maximum and we’ll see where that takes us. Hopefully that will keep us in the premier league but we definitely haven’t given up.”
Fulham, with two points below Newcastle and three off Brighton, are the other promoted side in a battle to save their Premier League skin.
The Cottagers appeared doomed early in the season but a recent revival gave them the opportunity to move out of the relegation zone for the first time since December.
However, the 17th-placed side suffered a home loss against Leeds in the last match before the break – their third defeat in four games.
“It gets tough sometimes, but it’s a challenge that I embrace,” said Aina, who is on loan from Italian club Torino.
“Obviously, it’s approaching the end of the season now with nine games left.
“Naturally, it starts to become a bit of a panic for most, but I think Fulham are in a good space.
“We have a good team and a good manager in Scott Parker, so we just have to keep going and working, and try to get the points we need.”
Mind with country
In need of one point from two games to seal qualification to next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, the Super Eagles travel to Benin on 27 March before hosting Lesotho in Lagos three days later.
“We are very prepared, since November we’ve had this fixtures in mind to get the job done essentially. I think everybody is itching to get out there and qualify this nation for the Afcon,” Ajayi added.
Three time African champions Nigeria are currently top of Group L where all the teams, which include Benin, Sierra Leone and Lesotho, can still qualify for January’s finals in Cameroon.
Aina admits that reality makes their job a lot demanding as the squad move on from an embarrassing 4-4 draw at home to Sierra Leone five months ago.
“As strange as it sounds, I believe everyone’s moved on from that Sierra Leone game but the lessons learned stays with us,” Aina explained.
“We travel to Benin with all seriousness, we’ll go there and try to win the game before hosting Lesotho at home.”
The Super Eagles have eight points, one ahead of the squirrels of Benin while the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone have three points and Lesotho two.
BBC Sport
– Mar. 26, 2021 @ 18:40 GMT |
Tags: Nigeria duo upbeat on Premier League survival hopes
