All 24 players invited by Head Coach Gernot Rohr have arrived in Tangier and trained on Thursday ahead of Saturday’s FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifying match against the Lone Star of Liberia.
Commitment, focus and absolute dedication oozed from the session at the training pitch of the Grand Stade de Tangier, with goalkeeper John Noble and forward Odion Ighalo, who were the last arrivals, having the side spectacle with Jean-Luc Royer, one of Rohr’s assistants.
Delivery, marksmanship, spriteness and creativity were the underlying themes as the possibles squared up against the probables ahead of the Day 5 encounter that the Nigeria side sees as a must-win, before they flying into Lagos in the early hours of Sunday to prepare for the final group phase clash with the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde.
There were no dull moments as Captain Ahmed Musa, Victor Osimhen and Kelechi Iheanacho fired from all cylinders to the delight of the technical and administrative staff in moderate weather in Morocco’s principal northern city.
“I am happy to be able to make it here. Good to be back with the group and the spirit is excellent,” Ighalo, reigning top scorer of the Africa Cup of Nations, told thenff.com after Thursday evening’s session.
Head Coach Rohr added: “It’s a good feeling here and we hope the weather stays nice as it has been since we got here. Everything is calm and the team has been able to concentrate very well.”
There was vibrancy and go-go spirit as the group welcomed back Ighalo, as well as midfielders Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi, and forward Samuel Chukwueze.
On Friday, the Super Eagles will have a feel of the turf of Grand Stade Tangier during the official training in the evening. It was at the same venue that the Super Eagles B squad defeated their Angolan counterparts 2-1 in the quarter finals of the 2018 African Nations Championship.
Saturday’s match will kick off at 5pm Morocco time.
