Nigeria vs B/Faso
Kick-off: 4pm
Crucial FIFA ranking points will be at stake when the Super Eagles host Burkina Faso in a friendly today in Kaduna.
The draw for the final round of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers for Africa will be held on Monday, September 16, the seeding will be based on FIFA September rankings, which will be released on Thursday.
Nigeria are within the top five in Africa and they maintain their ranking after Tuesday’s match, they will be one of five teams to be seeded at Monday’s draw in Cairo, Egypt.
This means they will avoid the likes of Cote d’Ivoire, Algeria and Ghana. Burkina Faso, on the other hand, need to score more points for them to make it into the top five and so be seeded.
Academica de Coimbra of Portugal forward John Ogu saidthat the Eagles know the importance of the game.
”Of course, every game is important to us, so we want to win. We are aware this month’s FIFA ranking will influence the seeding for the draws, even without that it is a serious game to us,” Ogu said
“I am always ready to play for Nigeria any day anytime, I am looking forward to the game.”
Nigeria have never lost to the Stallions of Burkina Faso, having won six out of eight meeting, with just two draws.
At the 2013 AFCON, the two West Africans drew 1-1 in a group game in Nelspruit, South Africa, before they clashed again in the final, where the Eagles won 1-0 to win their third Nations Cup diadem.
The Eagles are equally aware of the physicality of the Stallions.
The players joked during Monday morning training about the strength of their top marksman, Jonathan Petroipa.
“Azubuike, Petroipa will show you pepper and I know you have been thinking of him,”Ogenyi Onazi poked a joke at the Eagles tallest defender Azubuike Egwuekwe.
The defender kept mute and just shook his head, but Emmanuel Emenike, who incidentally did not play the final due to a knock rose to his defence.
“Petroipa was there at the Nations Cup and we know the result. Na for this field we go see who be oga for African football,”said the Fenerbache striker
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