NIGERIA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - Super Eagles prepare for World Cup Qualifier against Ethiopia

Record ID: 236204

  • Title: NIGERIA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - Super Eagles prepare for World Cup Qualifier against Ethiopia
  • Date: 9th October 2013
  • Summary: ABUJA, NIGERIA (OCTOBER 9, 2013) (REUTERS) NIGERIAN FOOTBALL PLAYERS ALIGHTING FROM A BUS VARIOUS OF THE SUPER EAGLES TEAM TRAINING VARIOUS OF STEPHEN KESHI WALKING TO THE VENUE OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) STEPHEN KESHI, HEAD COACH, SUPER EAGLES, SAYING: "We just have to keep calm, no matter how they provoke us we must concentrate and if that is going to happen? It's the African way of winning a game sometimes, right from the airport, bothering your life and stuffs." VARIOUS OF NIGERIAN FOOTBALL PLAYERS JOGGING AND PASSING THE BALL AROUND (SOUNDBITE) (English) STEPHEN KESHI, HEAD COACH, SUPER EAGLES, SAYING: "I think you need to ask the players. Looking at their faces, I think their expressions will tell you how high in spirit they are for this game, we will see what happens on Sunday." VARIOUS OF SUPER EAGLES' PLAYER ON HIS MOBILE PHONE (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOHN OGU, NIGERIAN FOOTBALL PLAYER, SAYING: "We are prepared. We know they are playing in front of their fans but we are prepared to win because we have been playing this game for a while now so we know what is at stake so for us, we know it's an important game for us so when we get there, you know we have our own game plan and when we get there we will do our thing there." MORE OF TRAINING EXTERIOR OF THE NATIONAL STADIUM IN ABUJA
  • Embargoed: 24th October 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA3ZJ2WGP3Y4QV0612G7NE7EFL7
  • Story Text: Nigeria's football team are hopeful for a win against Ethiopia's Walya Antelopes on Sunday (October 13) in Addis Ababa where the first leg final play-off round of their 2014 World Cup qualifier game is billed to take place.
    The Super Eagles trained in the country's capital city, Abuja on Wednesday (October 9) making it their third day of training since camp opened on October 7.
    Nigeria's coach, Stephen Keshi, says the team has to be focused on the tough battle in Addis Ababa in order to secure a win to make the return leg an easier task.
    "We just have to keep calm, no matter how they provoke us we must concentrate and if that is going to happen? It's the African way of winning a game sometimes, right from the airport, bothering your life and stuffs," the Super Eagles coach said.
    The reigning African champions were pitched in the final group with the Ethiopian squad at the 2013 Nations Cup in South Africa which saw the Nigerian team defeat Ethiopia with a 2-0 win.
    Keshi says the team is looking forward to delivering a positive result.
    "I think you need to ask the players. Looking at their faces, I think their expressions will tell you how high in spirit they are for this game, we will see what happens on Sunday," he said.
    John Ogu, who plays his club football in Portugal for Academica de Coimbra, said despite the fact that they are playing away, they understand what is required of them in Ethiopia.
    "We are prepared. We know they are playing in front of their fans but we are prepared to win because we have been playing this game for a while now so we know what is at stake so for us we know it's an important game for us so when we get there, you know we have our own game plan and when we get there we will do our thing there."
    The Nigerian team is expected to depart for Ethiopia on October 11.
    The Super Eagles are aiming to book their place in Brazil 2014 which will make it their fifth World Cup appearance.
    The second leg takes place at the U. J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar on November 16.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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