体坛英语新闻：Nigeria's Super Eagles qualify for 2018 FIFA World Cup

LAGOS, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria's Super Eagles on Saturday qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup after a 1-0 win over Zambia in oil rich city of Uyo, with an unassailable 6-point lead after five matches in Group B.

The Nigerian side, at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in southern city of Uyo, Akwa Ibom defeated the Zambian national football team by 1-0 through a goal by Alex Iwobi.

The Super Eagles, with an away-match left to play against the Algerian national team, has already qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup tournament in Russia.

With the victory, Nigeria now tops their Group B which comprises Cameroon, Zambia and Algeria with 13 points and qualified for the World Cup with a game to spare.

Nigeria had defeated Zambia 2-1 in Ndola to kick off their Group B World Cup campaign.

With the home victory over the Zambians who have never featured in the Mundial, Nigeria has registered its sixth World Cup appearance after Brazil 2014.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the Super Eagles on their victory over the Chipolopolo of Zambia, describing it as very sweet, soothing and a 57th Independence Anniversary gift to the nation.

In a statement made available to Xinhua in Lagos, the Nigerian leader applauded the Super Eagles for the feat of making Nigeria the first African country to qualify for Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup tournament, with a match left to play.

Buhari called on all Nigerians to apply the values of perseverance, resilience, discipline, hard work and team-spirit, which propelled the players to excel since the beginning of the qualifying matches, to all sectors of national life.

He promised that the government would continue to support the team within available resources so that the nation will maximise the unifying potentials of sports in general and football in particular.