Following the match coordination meeting at the Splendid Hotel, Ouagadougou on Saturday, all is now set for Sunday’s 2016 African Nations Championship final round, second leg qualifier between Nigeria and Burkina Faso.
The Eagles take a 2-0 lead into the final leg, with goals from Yaro Bature and Gbolahan Salami in Port Harcourt ensuring the 2014 bronze medallists start on a good footing at the Stade August 4.
It was at the same venue, back in April 1997, that the Super Eagles greatly enhanced their chances of qualification for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, when defeating the Etalons 2-1 in a dramatic encounter.
Efforts by the host federation (FBF) to move Sunday’s match to 3.30pm, as against the 4pm communicated to the NFF, was opposed by NFF officials led by deputy director (competitions) Bola Oyeyode at the match coordination meeting. Oyeyode, himself a CAF General Coordinator, produced the letter sent to the NFF by the FBF, to the effect that the match would start 4pm (5pm Nigeria time) and showed same to the Match Commissioner, Mr. Idrissa Sarr from Mauritania. Sarr ruled in favour of Nigeria.
The Super Eagles will be adorned in green, while the Etalons will wear white. Libyan referee Mohamed Ragab Omara will be at the centre, assisted by compatriots Foaad Mohamed El Maghrabi, Baesus Safe- El Naser and Abdallah Baesus Ashraf as assistant 1, assistant 2 and reserve referee respectively.
The winner on aggregate will enter the pot for next month’s Draw for the 4th African Nations Championship, taking place in Rwanda 16 January – 7 February, 2016.
