Pinnick Hails Moses over FA Cup Victory with Chelsea

*Wants focus to shift to the World Cup 2018 in Russia

President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick, has congratulated Super Eagles’ ace Victor Moses following the utility player’s triumph in the English FA Cup with Chelsea FC at the weekend.

A lone strike from the penalty spot by Eden Hazard against Manchester United at Wembley brought joy to the blue side of London and made Moses the sixth Nigerian to experience glory in the oldest knockout competition in world football. Before him were John Fashanu, Daniel Amokachi, Nwankwo Kanu, John Utaka and John Mikel Obi. Obi, Moses and others at the FIFA World Cup, won also with Chelsea.

“I am happy for Victor Moses because this triumph sets him in a great mood and gives immense confidence for the FIFA World Cup in Russia. We have a number of friendly matches before the FIFA World Cup but the big focus is on the finals starting next month.

“Victory in the FA Cup is good for Moses as he will come into camp buoyed in spirit, and that good feeling is bound to infect and affect the other players positively,” Pinnick said on Monday.

Pinnick also applauded the good number of Super Eagles’ players who finished the season on a high, and those who were instrumental to their clubs’ accomplishments during the season, stating that confidence is key to facing up to the kind of opposition available at the FIFA World Cup.

Moses, who is the reigning NFF Football Awards Player of the Year, was the Super Eagles’ highest goalscorer in the FIFA World Cup African qualifying series with three goals. He netted a brace against Algeria in November 2016 and got the third in the 4-0 whiplash of African champions Cameroon on 1st September 2017, which set the Eagles on the path to Russia.

The Chelsea wingback, who plays as an attacking midfielder for the Eagles, will join up with his international team-mates in Uyo later this week, ahead of Monday’s international friendly against the Simba of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Port Harcourt.

The Super Eagles will then take on England in a prestige encounter at Wembley Stadium in London on 2nd June, before trading tackles with the Czech Republic in Austria on 6th June.

The team will camp for nine days at the Avita Resort in Bad Tatzmannsdorf, Austria before flying to their team base camp in Yessentuki, Stavropol region of Russia on 11th June.