NFF Confirms MKO Abiola Stadium to Host S’Eagles/Guinea Bissau Clash on March 24

Following the approval of only two venues for Nigeria by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) yesterday picked the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja to host the Super Eagles home tie against the Wild Dogs of Guinea Bissau.

The encounter is Match-day 3 of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification.

THISDAY reported last week that CAF had approved 24 out of 42 stadiums across the continent to stage the remaining qualifying matches out of which MKO Stadium and Nest of Champions in Uyo are the only approved venues for Nigeria.

NFF confirmed yesterday that the Abuja stadium is to host the Super Eagles match on Friday, 24th March while the Federação de Futebol da Guiné-Bissau is yet to pick a date for the second match, which could be either 27th or 28th March in the Moroccan city of Marrakech. Guinea Bissau does not have a CAF-approved playing turf in the country of slightly over two million people.

On the first day of the qualifying series, the Super Eagles fought back from a ferocious start to the game, and an 11th minute goal by Jonathan Morsay, to defeat the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone 2-1 in Abuja, after Alex Iwobi and Victor Osimhen hit back hard at the visitors.

On Day 2, away in the Moroccan city of Agadir and in only the second competitive match for Coach José Santos Peseiro, the Super Eagles set a new international win-record, defeating Sao Tome and Principe 10-0 with four of the goals by Osimhen. Terem Moffi (with a brace), Moses Simon, Oghenekaro Etebo, Ademola Lookman and Emmanuel Dennis completed the carnage.

Victory in both matches against the Wild Dogs will certainly pave the Eagles’ path to Cote d’Ivoire 2023 now moved to January next year.