With the Super Eagles camp officially opened in Tangier, Morocco for the Qatar 2020 World Cup qualifiers, all but returnee Odion Ighalo, Victor Osimhen and new draft, Enyimba’s goalkeeper, John Noble were still being expected as at Tuesday’s first training session.
According to a release from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), captain Ahmed Musa and 20 others were at first training session in the city of Tangier ahead the encounter against the Lone Star of Liberia at the city’s main venue.
The Super Eagles had a gym session at the hotel in the morning and were scheduled to train in the evening at the Grand Stade de Tanger (also known as Stade Ibn Batouta), a 45,000 –capacity facility that was opened in April 2011 but which will, sadly, be empty when Nigeria and Liberia tackle each other for three precious points on Saturday.
‘Hosts’ Liberia have made no move to get the Confederation of African Football to approve crowd attendance at the Day 5 game.
Nigeria need all three points from the encounter in order to stay in contention to star in the knockout phase of the World Cup qualifiers, set for March 2022.
Only the group winners will proceed to the knockout phase that will be a home-and-away exercise to produce Africa’s five flagbearers in Qatar.
Cape Verde’s Blue Sharks, who hosts Central African Republic in Mindelo on Saturday, have seven points and will be hoping the Super Eagles stumble in North Africa.
Meanwhile, the delegation of Liberia’s Lone Star also arrived in Tangier on Monday, and included three goalkeepers, seven defenders, seven midfielders and five forwards.