Nigeria’s Super Eagles on Friday morning defeated the development side of Nigeria Professional Football League side, Kano Pillars 3-1 in a tune-up game for next weekend’s African Nations Championships qualifier against Benin Republic.
All the goals in the game decided at the Sani Abacha Stadium, venue of the return fixture against Benin in a fortnight were scored in the first half.
Akwa United’s Alhassan Ibrahim scored twice for Salisu Yusuff’s men as he continued to show how indispensable he is to the team of locally assembled professionals. The Eagles’ other goal was scored by El-Kanemi Warriors star Mathias Samuel.
The game is expected to have afforded the team’s handlers a good chance of blending the players in a friendly match as they enter the final stage of preparation for the two-legged contest against the Squirrels of Benin.
Rabiu Ali, scorer of two goals for Kano Pillars in a rescheduled 2-0 win over Rivers United on Thursday was rested from the game as also the other two players that featured in the league game, Jamiu Alimi and Emeka Atuloma.
The 30-man squad is expected to be pruned down to 23 this evening before players are released to play for their league clubs in Sunday’s Match Day 33 games. Players that make the final list are expected back in camp on Monday morning.
Nigeria face neighbours Benin at the Stade de l’Amitie in Cotonou on the 13th of this month before hosting the return leg in Kano on the 19th. The winner goes through to next January’s African Nations Championships (CHAN) to be staged in Kenya.
