By Bukola Hameed
The Nigerian Football Federation has urged Nigerians to disregard any news of its players being positive for COVID-19.
The NFF, on its Twitter handle said, ” please, discountenance any reports that some of our players tested positive to COVID 19 ahead of tomorrow’s friendly game against Algeria. It is a blatant falsehood.
” The writer of the story, who was not part of the press conference earlier today, totally misrepresented what Coach Rohr said that since the outbreak of the pandemic, four of our players had tested positive, but were all now fully recovered from the virus and back in action.
” The results of the COVID 19 tests carried out on the Super Eagles ahead of tomorrow’s game are still being awaited”.
Nigerian Super Eagles will lock horns with Algeria in a friendly match scheduled for 9th October at the Jacques Lemans Arena.
Meanwhile, former Germany U20 captain Kevin Akpoguma, who arrived at camp only to bond with Nigeria’s international train ahead of his switch to his fatherland, was cleared by FIFA’s single judge to dorn the green-white-green henceforth.
His clearance solidifies a dependable backline of Kenneth Omeruo, Leon Balogun, Chidozie Awaziem, William Ekong, Olaoluwa Aina, Jamilu Collins, Oluwasemilogo Ajayi, and first-time invitee Zaidu Sanusi.
The Federation Ivorienne de Football, on 22nd September sent to the NFF a letter regretting their inability to send a team to Austria for the game as earlier agreed, citing “internal problems.”
However, Algeria immediately accepted to face the Super Eagles on 9th October at the Jacques Lemans Arena.
This followed a phone call from President of the NFF, Amaju Melvin Pinnick to his Algerian opposite number, Kheireddine Zetchi.
“We have permission from our government to travel from Algeria to Austria and our country has reopened international flights. We also would like to confirm that FIFA match agent Me Jairo Pachon is authorised to carry on all the required work and planning in Austria in order to stage this event,” wrote Mohamed Saad, General Secretary of the Federation Algerienne de Football.
The clash in Austria next month would be the fourth between the Super Eagles and the Fennecs in three years.
