A nationwide strike action called by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has hampered the Super Eagles’ preparations for Friday’s World Cup qualifier against South Africa.
According to information from the Super Eagles camp in Uyo, 15 players took part in yesterday morning’s comprehensive training session at the practice pitch of the Godswill Akpabio Stadium but five of the remaining eight players who are reportedly in the country could not get to Uyo because of the ongoing NLC strike which has stalled domestic flights.
The five players who are said to be stuck in Lagos and Abuja are Semi Ajayi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Calvin Bassey, Frank Onyeka and Paul Onuachu while the trio of Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman and Maduka Okoye will arrive Nigeria today.
There was no training session yesterday evening, as the players will get countenance intensive sessions today, Wednesday and Thursday, hopefully with a full house.
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Meanwhile, the South African Football Association (SAFA) has informed their Nigeria Football Federation counterpart of their travel plans ahead of Friday’s crucial match billed for the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
According to SAFA, “Its delegation of Bafana Bafana is expected to arrive in Nigeria on Wednesday, with the team already booked into Four Points By Sheraton Hotel in Ikot-Ekpene.”
Similarly, the delegation of Nigeria’s U17 girls, Flamingos, will fly into the Liberian capital, Monrovia, on Thursday ahead of Sunday’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup final qualifying fixture, first leg encounter against their Liberian counterparts.
To reach this stage, the 2022 World Cup bronze medallists dispatched their counterparts from Central African Republic and Burkina Faso with high-goal margins. Central African Republic fell by a dozen goals on aggregate while the Burkinabe girls were routed 7-1.
Liberia, who ejected Senegal from the race, face an uphill task against the nimble-footed Nigerian girls with Coach Bankole Olowookere insisting that the Flamingos are determined to be in the Dominican Republic to have the opportunity to challenge for the trophy this time around.
Sunday’s match has been slated for the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex at Paynesville – the same venue where the Super Eagles defeated the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone last year to qualify for this year’s Africa Cup of Nations.
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