![]() |
Eagles at a training session in Zanzibar on Wednesday. |
Nigeria’s home-based senior men’s team will seek victory over hosts Zanzibar on Thursday in the second of a two-match programme arranged to put the Super Eagles B in competition mood ahead of the 8th African Nations Championship kicking off on Saturday.
The 2018
silver medallists were held to a scoreless draw in the two teams’ first game
played at the Mau Stadium – located in the centre of Zanzibar – on Monday.
Nigeria, also
bronze medal winners in 2014, dominated Monday’s game all-round, with superior
ball possession and attempts on goal. They created a plethora of chances but
the Zanzibar rearguard worked overtime to keep the scoreline barren.
Adedayo
Olamilekan, Hadi Haruna, Sikiru Alimi and Harrison Tochukwu were impressive in
a game in which goalkeeper Ozoemena Ani, captain Nduka Junior, Leonard Ngenge,
Abdulrafiu Taiwo, Sodiq Ismaila, Ijoma Anthony, Harrison Ozondu, Akanni Qudus,
Taofeek Otaniyi, Godwin Obaje, Jabbar Malik and Shola Adelani also featured.
Thursday’s
encounter, also scheduled for the Mau Stadium, comes five days before Nigeria’s
first match of the competition – a clash with Cup holders Senegal – at
Zanzibar’s 15,000 -capacity Amaan Stadium.
The Eagles
will then confront Sudan in their second match of the group phase (also at the
Amaan Stadium) on Tuesday, 12th August before concluding their group D campaign
against Congo at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday, 19th
August.
The
four-week, 19-nation finals have encamped five teams in groups A, B and C, with
only Nigeria’s group D having only four teams. Other venues for the competition
are the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani and the Nyayo National
Stadium (both in Nairobi, Kenya), and the Mandela National Stadium in Kampala,
Uganda.
What’s your opinion on this story?
0 Comments