The Super Eagles on Tuesday arrived in Kaduna ahead of Friday’s crucial 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against the Pharaohs of Egypt billed for the Ahmadu Bello Stadium.
The team left Abuja around 12.35 p.m. on Tuesday, and was escorted by one patrol vehicle, arriving in Kaduna about 3.10 p.m.
Toyin Ibitoye, the team’s Media Officer, said the police in Kaduna would take charge of the team until it departs for Alexandria on Saturday for the match’s reverse fixture.
“We arrived in Kaduna with all the invited foreign-based and home-based players and we are lodged at the African Continental Hotel, Kaduna,’’ he said.
Ibitoye said also that the team would train in the evening (Tuesday), adding that the match between the Eagles and Pharaohs would start at 3 p.m. local time on Friday.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had fixed the match’s gate fees for N1,000 and N300 for covered seat and popular stand respectively.
Meanwhile, team striker Odion Ighalo has assured that fellow foreign-based players had acclimatised within the few hours of their arrival for the Egypt encounter.
Ighalo who spoke before the team’s departure for Kaduna, said the players would adapt completely after training in Kaduna.
He however said the match would be a difficult one for both sides.
“It is going to be difficult for us as well as the Egyptians. You can’t go on the pitch and start walking and believe we will win the game.
“We have to come all out and give our best together as a team. By God’s grace, the sky will be our limit. But I won’t say it will be an easy match.
“We need to give our 100 per cent to win. But I can see, with what we have on ground now, that we are capable of winning the game,’’ Ighalo said.
He commended team head coach Samson Siasia for assembling the best legs for the country to face Egypt.
The Watford FC striker explained that experience had shown that Siasia succeeded with the teams he handled and the present Super Eagles team would not be an exception.
