By: Gracious Akujobi The build up to the August 14 Mandela Challenge prestige clash between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and South Africa’s Bafana Bafana has started to reach the real actors of the game, with Chelsea of England’s Victor Moses, declaring that he has missed his colleagues in the national team and cannot wait for the Mandale Challenge to reunite with them.
Super Eagles Scribe Dayo Enebi Achor, was quoted by Media Officer, Ben Alaiya, as saying that Moses was the first player to put a call though to the team to say he will be available for the game and will be among the first player to arrive South Africa for the game.
In consonance with renewed interest by the national team stars for the game, Obinna Nsofor, has been making desperate enquiries about his return to the national team and has also promised to be early for the game in South Africa’s warmest city of Durban.
Other players who have been making concerted enquiries about the friendly so far include power playing Lazio of Italy midfield ace, Ogenyi Onazi, wing wizard Ahmed Musa and slow poison striker Brown Aide Ideye.Arrival for all the players according to the NFF remains, Sunday, August 11 in South Africa for the game scheduled for Wednesday, August 14.
Similarly, the NFF leadership through the Secretary General, Musa Amadu, has reacted quickly to an initial position of Russian side, Spartak Moscow, that it will not release CAN 2013 goleador Emmanuel Emenike for the Mandela challenge. “The NFF will not accept any of such claims that it’s not a FIFA free window, because it is and as I speak with you the NFF Scribe has also made his position known to Spartak”, team sources declared.
Indications are that all invited players for the prestige international friendly in honour of Africa’s formost nationalist, Dr Nelson Mandela will be available for the encounter from the Nigerian perspective, as the NFF is determined to counter any move from foreign based clubsides to deny Nigeria the services of the players. “Don’t forget that the game is also a dress rehearsal for the September World Cup qualifier against the Flames of Malawi and we can’t afford to let anything to chance”, the NFF Scribe was quoted as saying.
