6th November, 2014
Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, has handed a tall order to Stephen Keshi and his Super Eagles that they must qualify the country for the 2015 African Cup of Nations, AFCON.
Though the situation remain dicey for Nigeria to qualify for the Nations Cup, the scribe of the NFF, Musa Amadu, said that the six points at stake in the remaining two matches against Congo in Porte Noire next Saturday and South Africa are non negotiable and the federation will leave nothing to chance to ensure that the defending champions make the competition.
“We are in a very critical situation as African champions lie in third place with 4 points from 4 games, Congo have 7 points and table toppers South Africa have 8 points.
“These two games against Congo in Porte Noire on Saturday, 15 November on artificial turf and against Bafana Bafana in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on Wednesday, 19 November are very critical because those six points are non negotiable.
“We must win those two games to stand a chance of qualifying and hopefully the other results end up in our favour to qualify,” the federation scribe said.
Meanwhile, Director General of National Sports Commission, NSC, Gbenga Elegbeleye, has also restated the government’s commitment to ensure that Nigeria qualify for the Nations Cup, saying that the NSC will give necessary support to the NFF in this regard.
The Super Eagles camp opens on Monday, 9 November in Abuja, as it is no longer in Warri. The team will train from Monday till Thursday when they will depart Abuja on Thursday evening in a chartered flight to Porte Noire ahead of Saturday’s match on an artificial turf by 3.30p.m Congo time and they will fly straight to Uyo to prepare for the final group game against South Africa.