29th May, 2011
The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, has revealed that Ibrahim Chaibou, a FIFA-graded referee for years will be Centre Referee
during Wednesday’s high-profile international friendly football match between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Argentina’s senior team.
Image Maker of NFF, Demola Olajire told P.M.Sportsonline in Abuja that Itinni Haman will serve as 1st Assistant referee for the match slated for the Abuja national stadium at 7pm.
The 2nd Assistant Referee who also comes from Niger is Abdoulaye Mamane, while Nigerian FIFA-graded official Bunmi Ogunkolade will work as the Fourth Official.
A total of 25,000 tickets, according to the NFF are up for sale at the sum of N2,500 each for the tie, which will be the fifth clash between both countries at senior level.
Samson Siasia, presently Nigeria’s Head Coach, is the only man to have scored against Argentina at senior level during the 1-2 loss to the Diego Maradona-led Argies at the Foxboro Stadium, Massachusetts at USA ’94 FIFA World Cup.
Both teams drew 0-0 at the Intercontinental Tournament for the King Fahd Cup, now FIFA Confederations Cup in January 1995, but the Super Eagles were edged by the odd goal at the 2002 FIFA World Cup and the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in Japan and South Africa respectively.
However, the Nigerian team retain good memories of a 3-2 win over Argentina in the gold medal match of the 1996 Olympics Men’s Football Tournament in Atlanta, USA.
In the youth level, Argentina defeated Nigeria’s Flying Eagles in the final of the FIFA U-20 WYC held in Holland 2005, while the Lionel Messi-inspired Argies also beat Nigeria’s U-23 Eagles to claim gold medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympics.
By Tunde Oyedele, Abuja