Osayi-Samuel shares what revenge-seeking South Africa coach said in video, hails Finidi for people skills 

Bright Osayi-Samuel has insisted that South Africa are gunning for revenge on Friday when they take on the Super Eagles in a  2026 World Cup qualifying match at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.

To buttress his statement that Bafana Bafana have a score to settle with the Super Eagles, the Fenerbahce fullback highlighted that he watched a video in which one of the South African coaches said they are aiming for revenge in Uyo after their shootout loss to Nigeria at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Osayi-Samuel noted that Nigeria could only draw their opening two games in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, making the upcoming encounters with South Africa and Benin crucial. 

Nigeria are missing key players like Victor Osimhen and Ola Aina but boosted by the return of Victor Boniface and Wilfred Ndidi.

The former Queens Park Rangers star is confident of a win on Friday.

"The main objective is to win and if you look at the players that we have, everyone's relaxed but we also know the importance of this game," Osayi-Samuel told local reporters. 

"The main reason is also because the first two games we drew and it's not another opportunity that we want to miss.

"We beat them in AFCON and I remember I saw this video of one of the South African coaches saying how they want to come back here and take their revenge.

"We know it is very important but I believe that with the squad that we have, we can beat them."

Osayi-Samuel worked with Finidi George for eighteen months prior to the appointment of the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations winner as coach of the Super Eagles. 

The defender has praised Finidi for his man-management skills and admitted that it's a massive game for the former Ajax Amsterdam winger. 

"For me, he's a great guy, always wants to know our situation outside football and that's very important.

"These two games are very important for us and important for him. It's the first competitive game for him and in a situation where we have only drawn two games it's big for him like it's big for us.

"I want us to win both games so fans start to have more trust in him and believe in him because I do believe in him.

"He's a very great guy and a manager that has had a lot of experience in football, he knows his stuff."

Osayi-Samuel has climbed up the pecking order of fullbacks for the game against South Africa because Ola Aina and Zaidu Sanusi are not available for selection.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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