Twenty-one Super Eagles players have arrived camp in Abuja to begin preparations for the World Cup Qatar 2022 playoff battle with the Black Stars of Ghana.
Three-time
African champions Nigeria and four-time African champions Ghana will clash at
the 40,000 capacity Baba Yara Stadium on Friday evening, in the first leg of a
potentially explosive fixture in which both teams will battle for a single
ticket to the 22nd FIFA World Cup finals.
The
latest arrivals were Leganes defender, Kenneth Omeruo, Jo Aribo, Calvin Bassey
and Emmanuel Dennis who plays as a striker for Premier League side, Watford
F.C.
Others
to make the list include captain William Troost -Ekong, Leon Balogun, Moses
Simon Ajayi, Aina, Onyeka, Odion Ighalo, Ahmed Musa, Oghenekaro Etebo,
Leicester city’s Kelechi Iheanacho, Abdullahi and goalkeepers Francis Uzoho,
Daniel Akpeyi.
Speaking
ahead of Super Eagles’ first training session, on Tuesday, in Abuja, Eaguavoen
said the players have promised to do everything possible to beat Ghana, adding
that the first game at the Baba Yaro Stadium, Kumasi, on Friday is very
important to their aspirations.
Friday’s
encounter in Kumasi will be the 58th clash between the two countries’ senior
teams, with 18 of those matches having ended in draws.
The
first encounter was on October 20, 1951, which Nigeria won 5-0.
The
last time both teams were involved in a FIFA World Cup qualifying fixture was
in 2001, with both seeking a spot at the Korea/Japan 2002 finals. The opening
leg at the Accra Sports Stadium was stalemated 0-0, before Nigeria won the
return 3-0 inside the Liberation Stadium in Port Harcourt on July 29, 2001.
Their last meeting, in a friendly match that was staged in London on October 11, 2011, ended goalless.
No comments:
Post a Comment