Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Ibrahim Gusau has explained reason Monday’s international friendly against Mozambique is very important for the Super Eagles.
Speaking with the players and coaches of the Eagles, Gusau revealed that it was important to arrange the game with Mozambique since they are from the Southern region of Africa just like South Africa, Lesotho and Zimbabwe.
South Africa, Lesotho and Zimbabwe are in the Eagles’ group for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers which will start in November this year.
Jose Peseiro’s side will open the campaign against Lesotho on match day one in Uyo before traveling away to face Zimbabwe.
“For the game against Mozambique, we tried to see how we can organise it,” Gusau said in a video on the NFF TV.
“As you know Mozambique come from the same axis with Lesotho, South Africa and Zimbabwe, who happens to be our opponent in the World Cup qualifiers.
“We feel they play the same pattern of football, they have the same mentality so let us have a feel of how people from that axis of Africa play their game. That is why we tried as much as possible to arrange the game, I think it didn’t take us more than a month to arrange for the game on Monday.
“We feel it is important for us to see that we do all we can to organise this two friendly matches because this is the only time we have to organise this kind of matches. After this, November is going to be the World Cup qualifiers, we don’t have any window to utilise more than this.
“We know that as we feel you also feel that these friendly matches are very important for us and it gives signals to where we are going to and I’m sure you are all mentally prepared for that.”
On Thursday, the draw for the 2023 AFCON was held with the Eagles placed in Group A alongside hosts Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.
Reacting to the outcome of the draw, Gusau played down the fact that the three-time AFCON winners will meet the hosts.
He posited that the Eagles focus is the trophy and they are ready to face any opposition.
“AFCON is surely commencing in January by the grace of God which we are also going to be part of it. We’ve seen our group which happens to be a group where we find ourselves with the host country.
“But that is not the case, we are going there to win the trophy, we are ready to meet any country along the road, so we don’t have problem with that.
“You know the task ahead of us and every Nigerian is proud of what you guys are doing in trying to uplift the name of Nigeria as far as football is concerned.“
On the issue of camping before the commencement of next year’s AFCON, Gusau said: ”Also we are making every arrangement to use the available time we have before the commencement of the Nations Cup to ensure that we have good preparation in the area of camping for a very conducive place before we move Abidjan for the commencement of the tournament.
“We will do our best in collaboration with the coach and others to make sure we get you a befitting place you can camp before the commencement of the tournament.”
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
