The Super Eagles arrived in London Sunday afternoon ahead of their international friendly against Scotland on Wednesday. The match is part of preparations for the Brazil 2014 World Cup. The Nigerians landed just as the Scotland coach Gordon Strachan told The Scotsman that he was concerned about the physical strength of the Eagles but hopes that the fitness his players should help them to move faster on the pitch and use their speed to advantage.
Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi left the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Sunday with 14 players aboard the flight to Heathrow Airport. Ukraine-based striker, Michael Babatunde had already arrived at Hilton Cobhams Hotel in London ahead of the delegation from Abuja. The Eagles are staying at that venue for the friendly.
The players that left from Nigeria with Keshi are Ogenyi Onazi, Victor Nsofor, Ahmed Musa, Michael Uchebo, Godfrey Oboabona, Gabriel Reuben, Juwon Oshaniwa, Efe Ambrose and Sunday Mba. The others are Chigozie Agbim, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Daniel Akpeyi, Kunle Odunlami and Ejike Uzoenyi.
Emmanuel Emenike and Ramon Azeez joined the group later on Sunday according to the team officials. The other players called up for the camping were expected to link up with the team much later on Sunday also.
The team will have their first training session on Monday evening, with all the 30 players invited for the World Cup preparation expected to take part.
The Scotland coach is hopeful that the match will serve both sides well as they aim for different goals in the next four weeks.
Strachan said, “You have to see their squad and who the coach has picked because it changes so rapidly. But I think it will be the serious time for them now. What you’ll get is pace, physical strength and a lot of them play at a good level.
“So if we’re not as physical as them then we have to move the ball about so those physical challenges aren’t there. We stick to what we’re good at. It will be good. We’ll try to outnumber people in certain areas, use our tenacity, our fitness levels. We do it in a different way to how they do it. They play at a slower pace than us, physically stronger; you don’t take on an opponent at what they are good at.”
The Scots are ranked 22 places above Nigeria’s 44th spot on the current FIFA monthly rankings.
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