Super Eagles’ home-based players have another chance to show the technical crew why they deserve more opportunities in the senior national team when they play friendly matches against Canada, Ghana and Cameroun.
The team lost 0-4 to Mexico in a friendly game played in the Los Angeles Coliseum, California, United States.
Speaking after the game watched by over fifty thousand fans, Nigeria Football Federation NFF President, Amaju Pinnick revealed that the federation was at the verge of finalising arrangements for the friendly games, which would hold before the 2022 World Cup qualifiers to begin later this year.
He added that the matches would hold in the 73000 capacity M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, United States.
“This is the launchpad we are providing for you to showcase your talents,” Pinnick told the media.
“This team is our pride, and we will keep you and monitor you because you are the next big thing in Nigerian football.
“In October, we will be flying the team to Baltimore for friendly games against Ghana possibly, Cameroun and Canada, maybe. We will sort that out in the coming weeks.
In the game against Mexico, Nigeria presented a team made up of players from the Nigerian Professional Football League NPFL with Ibrahim Sunusi, who plays for Montreal FC the only foreign-based star in the squad.
Speaking on the game, Super Eagles Head Coach, Gernot Rohr, praised the team for ‘a good outing.’
He said, “These are young players playing in front of over 50,000 fans in a foreign land. It was not easy but they showed they can play this game.
“We are very happy that fans are returning to stadiums after a long time playing in empty stadiums. Mexico is number eleven in the world and our young team is the best players in the professional league at home. They have learnt a lot from this game. I saw some interesting players who could be useful in our next World Cup qualifiers. Some of these players still have to work to improve physically.”
Rohr explained that the game was part of Nigeria’s preparations for the World Cup qualifiers, which would start with the home team against Liberia on 3rd of September.
“A few days later, we hope to play against Cape Verde before meeting Central African Republics. It is a long way to the World Cup, but this match has shown that some of the local players can play in the World Cup qualifiers.
“The match was a good lesson for my players because Mexico are one of the favourites for the Gold Cup.”