NFA, Super Eagles Want Gabon Before Peru: Int’l Friendlies

The Nigeria Football Association (NFA), the Super Eagles handlers and players have indicated interest in playing the friendly against Gabon before that against Peru.

Ben Alaiya, the national team Media Officer, said in a statement in Lagos that the Gabon friendly would have been played after the Peru match.

The statement said the Nigerian officials wanted the match against Gabon played first following a request to that effect by Gabonese President Ali Bongo.

“The Gabonese have yet to finalise arrangement with the NFA and Nigerians must be patient to get the right information on when the game will be played and where,” it said.

It noted that Coach Stephen Keshi had said that the two games were important but must not be played too close to the Nations, and World Cup qualifiers, which begin in the first week of June.

“The fear of injuries to his key players and the need to keep the team’s tactics away from the prying eyes of the opponents may have informed Keshi’s position,” the statement said.

It quoted the national team secretary, Dayo Enebi Achor, as saying that only time would tell whether the Super Eagles would play against Gabon or not.

“We have to be patient with Gabon FA, because the game is at their request; we cannot force them to fix a date that suits only Nigeria,” it quoted Achor as saying.