LOC Working Hard To Host U-23 Match – Iyaye

Dream Team VI’s Peter Onyekachi (9) in action in a previous qualifying match.

Chairman of the Local
Organising Committee (LOC) for the U-23 Olympic qualifying match, Boma Iyaye  has said that arrangements were in top gear to ensure a successful hosting on July 19.
The match will pit Nigeria’s U-23 team against their Congolese counterparts at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt.
The Rivers State  Government inaugurated the committee to ensure successful hosting of the match in the Garden city.
Iyaye told sports journalists in Port Harcourt that the stadium was undergoing some final retouching for the game.
“The brand new stadium that the government is planning to showcase to the world is undergoing some retouching to ensure it met international standards.
“Every other thing is in place, security and mobilisation of fans as well as publicity. So, everything is in top gear to ensure that we have a successful hosting on July 19,” he said.
Iyaye, a former commissioner for sports, said it was not true that the state could not host the senior national female team, the Falcons.
He said the truth was that the match between the Falcons and Equatorial Guinea would be organised by FIFA, while the U-23 match was being handled by the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF).
“FIFA in their wisdom said we did not inform them, six months in advance that we are going to use the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium.
“They said we needed to have given them enough notice but CAF did not mind, so that is why you have effected, the change of venue,” he said.
Abuja National Stadium will host the Nigeria/Equatorial Guinea Olympic qualifying match on the 18th.
Meanwhile, the Dream Team currently tuning up for the game with their Gongolese counterparts Port Harcourt will today play a trial match against Nigeria Nationwide league side, Go Round FC of Omoku at the Shell Residential Area football field. The game is part of preparation by the U-23 team for the Olympic qualifier next week.