Ethiopia Tie: Eagles Begin Training Today

Super Eagles of Nigeria will begin training today ahead of Saturday’s 2014 World Cup qualifier against the Walya Ibex of Ethiopia holding at the U.J Esuene Stadium in Calabar, Cross River State.

The coach Stephen Keshi tutored team would go into the second leg match needing to secure at least a draw to confirm their qualification for next year’s World Cup holding in Brazil at the expense of the Ethiopians.

The Nigerian team recorded a 2-1 victory in the first leg match played last month in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Coach Keshi had invited 26 players made up of 21 foreign and five home-based players who were expected to arrive at the Calabar camp yesterday (Monday) for the important match.

According to goalkeepers’ coach, Ike Shorunmu, who spoke this morning from their hotel in Calabar, the Nigerian team would have their first training this afternoon with all the invited home-based players and James Okwuosa, who came in from South Africa, in camp.

The former national team’s goalie also said that other invited professionals from abroad are expected to hit camp from lunch time today. He said: “We have all the home-based players in camp already with Okwuosa who came in on Monday night from South Africa.

“We expect other invited foreign based players to start arriving Calabar from lunch time today (Tuesday) before we go for our first training in the evening.”

Meanwhile, the Ethiopians have confirmed that they will hit Nigeria on Thursday, two days before the crucial clash.

The delegations from Ethiopia are expected to fly straight to Calabar aboard a chartered Ethiopian Airlines from Addis Ababa.

P.M.NEWS Sports’ checks reveal that an advance party from Ethiopia are already in town setting up modalities and logistics ahead of the arrival of the squad. Ethiopian Football Federation, EFF, President, Junedin Bashah had said they would ferry down sizeable number of supporters to give the team motivation in a match he described as very important to his country.

—Bamidele Olowosagba