Nigeria’s Super Eagles have landed in the southern Moroccan city of Agadir for Monday’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against ‘The Falcons and True Parrots’ of Sao Tome and Príncipe.
The Nigerian delegation touched down at the Aeroport Agadir Almarissa at exactly 8.15am on Sunday, with a total of 25 players as well as a technical and administrative crew.
The Super Eagles beat Sierra Leone 2-1 on matchday one at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja on Thursday, and are hopeful for another three points against ‘The Falcons and True Parrots’ at the Grand Stade Agadir, also known as Adrar Stadium.
Head Coach Jose Peseiro said at the Aeroport Agadir Almarissa that the encounter against ‘The Falcons and True Parrots’ will bring the best out of his team as they seek to go top of the Group A table.
“We want to be the team at the top of the table, so we must fight hard against the opponents,” he said. “Every match, we must commit ourselves fully to winning it.
“As I said earlier in the week, Nigeria have huge pedigree and they also have both quality and quantity of players. It is important that we select the best all the time to win the big games.”
However, Defender and deputy skipper William Ekong and midfielder Innocent Bonke have returned to their respective bases in England and France to attend to injuries copped during the international break.
Bonke was injured in the friendly game against Mexico in Dallas on May 28, while Ekong suffered a groin strain in the 2-1 defeat of Sierra Leone in Abuja on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed Liberian official Hassen Zinnah Corneh as referee for the encounter, with his compatriots Joel Wonka Doe, Ephraim Grant Whengar and Moses Forkpah as assistant referee 1, assistant referee 2 and fourth official respectively.
Alim Konate Aboubakar from Cameroon will be the match commissioner. The match will kick-off 1pm Nigerian time.
NFF 2nd Vice President, Shehu Dikko, led the delegation that also included the General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, a number of board members, as well as some NFF management and staff members, stakeholders, and media representatives.
