The 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match between African champions Cote d’Ivoire and the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone will now take place at the Adokiye Amiesiamaka Stadium, Port Harcourt on Sunday, the Nigeria Football Federation has announced.
By Monday, the NFF had concluded arrangements for the match to hold at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, but then received a letter from the Sierra Leone Football Association conveying concerns raised by the Football Ivorienne de Football (FIF) about playing on artificial turf.
This has necessitated a change to Port Harcourt.
“We received a letter from the SLFA saying they are aware of serious concerns by the Ivorien Football Federation about their players playing on artificial turf, which is the texture of the Teslim Balogun Stadium.
“The NFF had concluded arrangements to have the match in Lagos, but as a result of the letter, we had to look elsewhere. We appreciate the Lagos State Government for showing interest in hosting the match,” NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, said on Monday.
On receiving the letter, NFF President Amaju Pinnick quickly got on the phone to make contact with the Rivers State Government through the Rivers State Football Association, whose chairman, Chris Green, is also a member of the NFF Executive Committee. The green light was secured for the match to be played in Port Harcourt.
The letter from the SLFA read, inter alia: “I have been asked to inform you that we are privy to concerns raised by the Ivorian Football Federation about playing on an artificial turf at the AFCON qualifier match between Sierra Leone vs Ivory Coast on Sunday, 6th September, 2015. Would it be possible for us to have an alternative solution of a natural grass stadium if need be to avoid any rancour.”
The letter was signed by Chris Kamara, the SLFA’s General Secretary.
Sanusi added: “We have decided to see some positives in this compelled switch. When our Super Eagles fly into Port Harcourt from Dar es Salaam in the early hours of Sunday, they will be able to go to the stadium in the evening to see the Sierra Leone/Cote d’Ivoire match.”
Nations Cup qualifiers: Elephants to storm Port Harcourt in chartered flight
And just as the Super Eagles are heading to Tanzania for a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in a chartered aircraft, and will return in the same aircraft immediately after the match in Dar es Salaam, Cote d’Ivoire’s ‘Elephants’ will fly into and out of Port Harcourt aboard a chartered airplane.
It was gathered on Tuesday evening that the Elephants, who defeated Ghana’s Black Stars to lift their second continental title in Equatorial Guinea earlier in the year, are excited about coming into Nigeria’s oil-rich city.
Augustin Sidy Diallo, president of the Federation Ivoirienne de Football (FIF), confirmed on Tuesday that the Elephants’ delegation would hit the Rivers State capital on Friday morning.
Sunday’s match at the Adokiye Amiesiamaka Stadium is the first time Nigeria is hosting a competitive international involving two other countries. The Elephants and Leone Stars match will kick off at 4pm.
It was also gathered that the Seirra Leone delegation of 33 persons, led by president of the Sierra Leone Football Association, Isha Johansen, will fly into Port Harcourt on Wednesday evening aboard an ARIK Air plane.
It can be recalled that Port Harcourt hosted Nigeria’s home matches in the successful campaign for a place at the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals, and recently played host to the U-23 National Team in its successful campaign against Congo-Brazzaville for a place at the 2015 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations.
Coach Michel Dussuyer will miss the services of African Player of the Year Yaya Toure, and has also omitted Cheick Tiote, Siaka Tiene and Lacina Traore. But there are still plenty of eminent ‘Elephants’ in goalkeeper Sylvain Gbohou, defenders Serge Aurier, Mamadou Bagayoko and Adama Traore, midfielders Ismael Diomande, Serey Die, Serge N’Guessan and forwards Seydou Doumbia, Gervinho, Max Gradel, Giovanni Sio and Salomon Kalou.
