Super Eagles to Play Argentina Next Month in Glamour Friendly

Nigeria’s Super Eagles will lock horns with Argentina in a high-profile international friendly in the Russian city of Krasnodar on Tuesday, November 14, the Nigeria Football Federation has confirmed.

NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, confirmed yesterday that arrangements have been concluded with regards to the big match, subject to approval by world football-ruling body FIFA and agreeable flight arrangements. The match is scheduled to take place at the Krasnodar Arena Stadium.

“We have had long and fruitful talks, and we can say that we have an agreement. We await the approval by FIFA and also, we have to agree on the flight arrangements that would be comfortable for the players and crew,” Sanusi said in an NFF press release.

“The match will come up on 14th November, four days after the Super Eagles’ final 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match away to Algeria. We had offers from teams like Iran, Saudi Arabia and Morocco but we have opted for the Argentines.”
The Eagles, who have already qualified for the 2018 World Cup, face Algeria’s Fennecs at the Stade Mohamed Hamlaoui in Constantine on Friday, November 10.

Nigeria and Argentina played two friendly matches in 2011, the first in Abuja in June ending 4-1 in favour of the Super Eagles while the Argentines replied with a 3-1 victory in Dhaka, Bangladesh three months later.

Both teams have met numerous times at the FIFA World Cup. In a 1994, a Diego MAradona inspired side won 2-1 with two goals from Claudio Cannigia with the Eagles sole goal scored by Samson Siasia. In 2002, a Gabriel Batistuta goal helped Argentina to a lone goal victory at the Korea/Japan World Cup. The result was replicated at the 210 World Cup in South Africa, while the South Americans also triumphed 3-2 at the Brazil 2014 World Cup. A brace from Ahmed Musa was not enough to save Nigeria as Lionel Messi also scored two to help his team to victory.

Other famous encounters between both nations include two final matches of the Olympic Men’s Football Tournament – Nigeria edging it in 1996 in America and the Argies winning by the odd goal in China 12 years later.

NFF’s FIFA Match Agent Jairo Pachon of Eurodata Sport, who also organised the friendly matches with the Argentines in 2011, told thenff.com: “We are very pleased to be able to deliver such a high-profile game to celebrate the Super Eagles’ 2018 World Cup qualification.

“It was a lot of work over the past week but we are happy this has become reality. We will, in due course, reveal the Nigerian sponsor of the match who will have the match rights in Nigeria.”