Eagles Get Teranga Lions, Stallions Friendlies

By Andah John

Nigeria’s Super Eagles will tackle the Teranga Lions of Senegal and Stallions of Burkina Faso in friendly games ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) and Fifa World Cup qualifiers.

The three-time African champions will host the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in a Group E Afcon qualifier in June, and then welcome African champions Cameroon for a Russia 2018 qualifying showdown in August.

And according to the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, the Eagles will be taking on Senegal on 23 March in London, and the game against Burkina Faso will be four days later, in alliance with the Fifa window break next month.

“The two teams that the Super Eagles will play have been confirmed. Nigeria will face the Teranga Lions of Senegal on March 23rd and then meet Burkina Faso on the 27th,” Super Eagles Media Officer, Toyin Ibitoye disclosed.

“Both games will be in London and it will provide us with a stern test as we prepare for the Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifiers.

“We had a few teams in mind, but we have finally received confirmation for Senegal and Burkina Faso. The Ghana deal didn’t work, presumably because they don’t have a coach now after Avram Grant resigned.

“But all have been settled now, Senegal and Burkina Faso will be the two teams the Eagles will face in the March FIFA window,” he added.

The country’s football federation disclosed that those games are aimed at putting the team in shape for the qualifying duels.

Senegal lost out to Cameroon in the quarter-finals of the last Afcon in Gabon, while Burkina Faso reached the semi-finals.

 

Nigeria sit directly on top of the African champions with six points from two games, four points better than their closest rivals. Zambia and Algeria, meanwhile, are the other sides in the group with a point apiece, and only the topmost side qualify for the tournament in Vladimir Putin’s country.