World Cup: Eagles Begin Training In London Ahead Of Another Friendly
The Super Eagles of Nigeria have begun preparations in earnest for Tuesday’s international friendly with the Serbia National Team.
The Super Eagles contingent flew into chilly London on Saturday from Poland and trained at The Hive (home ground of Barnet FC and London Bees) on Sunday.
The same venue will host Tuesday’s friendly.
Tuesday will be four days on a year that the Eagles battled to a 1-1 draw with Senegal’s Teranga Lions at the same venue, in a friendly in which the Nigerians matched the taller and stronger Senegalese in all departments, with Kelechi Iheanacho equalizing from the penalty spot minutes to the end.
Both the Eagles and the Lions are going to the World Cup in Russia as two of Africa’s five flagbearers.
Just like Friday’s opposition in Wroclaw, the three –time African champions will be up against another Russia 2018 World Cup –bound squad, but this time, with more playing personnel.
Junior Ajayi, Gabriel Okechukwu, and midfielder Mikel Agu have all arrived in London after failing to make it to Wroclaw.
Agu was called up owing to the inability of captain Mikel John Obi to travel from China.
Midfield workhorse Oghenekaro Etebo, nursing an injury, watched from the sidelines.
The squad of 26 players and technical and backroom staff are staying at the Hotel Crowne Plaza Ealing.
Following Sunday’s morning training session, Nigeria will hold a pre-match press conference at The Amber Suite of The Hive at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 26.
At the World Cup finals in Russia, Serbia will play five-time champions Brazil, Switzerland and Costa Rica in Group E, while the Eagles battle Croatia, Iceland and Argentina.
Serbia are ranked 34 in the world by FIFA (18 places above Nigeria), but the Eagles have become accustomed to tearing apart paper ratings and bookmakers’ odds, as they did in dismantling Cameroon, Algeria, and Zambia in the African qualifying series.
