Imported User:
After two days of delayed arrival, Nigeria’s Super Eagles finally arrived the Peruvian capital, Lima on Monday evening at about 5:41pm in readiness for today’s international friendly with the national team of Peru. Their arrival was at 11:41pm Nigerian time to the warm embrace of an expectant Peruvian media.
Today’s encounter comes with a challenge of lack of time for the Nigerian team following the troubled flight schedule. The team had departed Madrid, the Spanish capital at about 12: 13pm Nigerian time after players and officials were forced to sleep in Madrid International Airport after their flight from Lagos to Madrid on Sunday night was cancelled by Iberia Airline officials. A drug courier’s hoopla by officials of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) delayed their take off.
On arrival at the Lime International airport, the team was led to its Sheraton Hotel abode in the centre of the city, where they were welcomed by early birds Nwankwo Obiorah, Gege Soriola and Nnamdi Oduamadi, who had earlier arrived for the friendly from their various clubside abroad.
Spain based Raheem Lawal joined the party yesterday morning, while Ekigho Ehiosun was part of the 18 players and officials that arrived from Madrid on Monday evening. Head Coach, Stephen Keshi was expectedly happy that all the invited players responded quickly and after dinner, asked the players to take a deserved rest from the rigours of the journey, while setting training for 7:30pm yesterday evening.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s national team will play the international friendly against Peru today 8pm Peru time, which is about 2:00am Nigerian time tomorrow morning.
Eagles Secretary Dayo Enebi, who was in the advance party for the friendly said the host picked the time that suits them and he expects one of NFF broadcast partners; African Independent Television (AIT), to transmit the game live.
There already seem to be a frenzy about the friendly by Lima residents as quite a sizeable number of them came out to catch a glimpse of the Nigerian side when they arrived the airport, on arrival at the hotel and during their meals. That has expectedly put some burdens on Stephen Keshi and his crew who now has only one training session to hold before the game. The coach however, takes consolation in the fact that the team players know themselves well and it won’s be difficult adjusting to play as a team after just one training session. “We will do well against Peru, that is why I have told them to take enough rest and tune their minds to the game at hand and forget the rigours of the trip”, he said.
