Nigeria’s home-based Super Eagles have booked a spot in the 2016 African Nations Championship, taking place in Rwanda from 16 January to 15 February next year.
Nigeria were bronze medalists in the 2014 edition.
Apart from Rwanda, the host nation, the other teams taking part are Morocco, Tunisia, Guinea, Mali, Niger, DR Congo.
Others are Gabon, Ethiopia, Uganda, Angola, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Nigeria was able to qualify for their second CHAN after holding hosts Burkina Faso to a 0-0 draw.
In the first leg played in Port Harcourt, Nigeria beat the Burkinabe team 2-0, thanks to goals by Bature Yaro and Gbolahan Salami.
Assistant Coaches Salisu Yusuf and Jean-Francois Luscuito, taking charge in the absence of ill Sunday Oliseh, started the same squad as in Port Harcourt, and the team stood firm against attempted early onslaughts by the home team.
Hosts Burkina Faso dominated the return leg game, but just could not translate this dominance into goals as the Eagles struggled to find their bearing and did not create chances. And so the boast of Burkina Faso coach Idrissa Traore that his team will cancel out Nigeria’s two goals within 30 minutes of the second leg was therefore just what it was – a boast.
The highlight of the match was recorded in the 21st minute, when the home team Burkina Faso failed to go ahead from the penalty spot after Austin Oboroakpo handled the ball inside his own 18-yard box. The ball was shot over the bar.
Abia Warriors defender Oboroakpo was booked for the hand ball.
Oboroakpo, who has been compared to ‘Gentle Giant’ Uche Okechukwu, was outstanding in the heart of the Eagles defence as he kept out everything Les Etalons threw at them.