Super Eagles defender William Troost-Ekong has declared that the side is simply focused on the international friendly game against Russia on Friday, www.aclsports.com reports.
Fresh from winning the four-nation Unity Cup tournament in London, Nigeria’s Super Eagles are aiming to extend their unbeaten run in all of 2025, when they take on the Sbornaya (The Boys) of Russia at the 78,000-capacity Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference on Thursday, Ekong talked about the readiness of the boys to take on the challenge and their preparation for the fixture.
“We are here [in Russia] for business; it is not a tourist trip,” Ekong said via NFF Media. As much as we enjoy what we see here, we’re very much looking forward to the game tomorrow. I don’t know too much about the Russian team now. We see that there have also been some changes since I last saw the team.
“However, we have watched a lot of video in the last few days; to understand how the team plays, how they’ve prepared against other friendly games that they’ve had here in the last year. So, we take the team very seriously. Of course, they have an outstanding record here with the amount of goals they’ve scored, yet to concede a goal,” Ekong added.
Ekong, who was excused from the Unity Cup in London, also reiterated the desire to qualify for the World Cup and do well at the AFCON later this year, even with the number of new faces in the team.
“We want to make a difference about that tomorrow. So we are very much looking forward to the game. And we prepare as much as we can in our own way, because we are also here to understand our playing style under the new coach. We have a lot of new faces in the team, and we have to continue to build for our project, which is the AFCON at the end of the year, and to qualify for the World Cup,” the 31-year-old concluded.
The iconic Luzhniki Stadium that hosted the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final, in which France defeated Croatia 4-2 is the venue for Friday’s friendly. The encounter will kick off at 8pm Russia time (6pm Nigeria).
SUPER EAGLES FOR RUSSIA FRIENDLY
Goalkeepers: Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania)
Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiacos FC, Greece); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Igoh Ogbu (SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Sodiq Ismaila (Remo Stars); Benjamin Frederick (Brentford FC, England).
Midfielders: Frank Onyeka (Augsburg FC, Germany); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio FC, Italy); Christantus Uche (Getafe CF, Spain); Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes); Saviour Isaac (Enugu Rangers).
Forwards: Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Simon Moses (FC Nantes, France); Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk, Belgium); Olakunle Olusegun, (Krasnodar FC, Russia); Sikiru Alimi (Remo Stars).
