Umar Sadiq reveals there is one thing to do after Nigeria's World Cup disappointment

Super Eagles striker Umar Sadiq has revealed that the team was ashamed of themselves following Nigeria's failure to qualify for the World Cup. 

The Almeria best player of the season, while speaking to the NFF media, ahead of the country's first qualifying match for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), stated that all the Super Eagles had on their mind was to 'come back stronger' from March's disappointment.

The Super Eagles in March, failed in their bid to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World after losing 1-1 on away goals to Ghana, in Abuja.

The heartbreak led the fans of the Super Eagles to lose their trust in the team having, expected to them to pick a ticket to Qatar.

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Prior to Ghana's doubleheader, Nigeria got knocked out of the 2021 AFCON after a 1-0 defeat to Tunisia in the Round of 16. But despite the previous challenges, 25-year-old Sadiq believes that there is only one way to respond.

"After the World Cup qualifiers, we each looked at ourselves and told ourselves that we have to be back stronger and we have to show that we're back stronger.

We're all getting ready for the game [against Sierra Leone]," he said.

Having missed out on Nigeria's tour to the United States and the games against Mexico and Ecuador, a returning Sadiq revealed that his desire, is to give new head coach Jose Peseiro, all he that he wants.

"It's my first training with him. We did all the training with the ball, and you can see we're trying all trying to understand what he wants. We all hope we can give him what he wants."

The three-time African champions will take on the Leone Stars on Thursday in Abuja. The last time both sides met in Nigeria, John Keister's side came from four goals down to draw 4-4 with the Super Eagles in an AFCON qualifier in 2020.