The build-up to the August 14 Mandela Challenge international soccer friendly between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and South Africa’s Bafana Bafana is begging to grab exciting headlines, with Nigeria striker Victor Moses declaring that he cannot wait to reunite with his teammates.
The build-up to the August 14 Mandela Challenge international soccer friendly between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and South Africa’s Bafana Bafana is begging to grab exciting headlines, with Nigeria striker Victor Moses declaring that he cannot wait to reunite with his teammates.
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SaharaReporters understands that Moses, who plays his club football with Chelsea in England, was the first player to call team officials to assure them he will be available for the game and will be among the earliest players to arrive in South Africa.
Returnee Obinna Nsofor has also made early enquiries about his return to the team, promising to arrive early for the contest, which will take place in South Africa’s warmest city of Durban on August 14.
Other players who have made enquiries about the friendly so far, underlining palpable excitement about the national team, include Ogenyi Onazi, Ahmed Musa and Brown Aide Ideye. Arrival for all the players, the NFF says, is August 11 in South Africa.
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The NFF leadership, through the Secretary General, Musa Amadu, has reacted quickly to the initial position of Russian side Spartak Moscow that it will not release Cup of African Nations 2013 goleador Emmanuel Emenike for the match. “The NFF will not accept any 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. Emenike has himself already declared his interest in appearing for the match and possibly meeting Nelson Mandela.
Indications are that all invited players for the prestige international friendly in honour of Africa’s foremost nationalist will be available for the encounter, the NFF determined to counter efforts by foreign 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.
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