Pre-AFCON Friendly: Nigeria Shops Burkina Faso, Benin to Replace Ghana

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is lining up a friendly match with either Burkina Faso or Benin Republic for the Super Eagles ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations, to make up for the Black Stars of Ghana which have pulled out.

NFF has already confirmed the Eagles will face Africa’s highest ranked country, Senegal in Egypt, before the start of the Africa Cup of Nations in June.

The match against Ghana, originally fixed for Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, was called off at the instance of the Ghanaians, who would be having their Nations Cup camping in Dubai about the same time the match is scheduled.




The Nigerian federation is now holding talks with both Benin and Burkina Faso as replacement for Ghana.
Like Nigeria, Benin will appear at the Nations Cup, while Burkina Faso, which incidentally to the Eagles at the 2012 final in South Africa, is not among the 24 nations that will officially campaign at the continent flagship football spectacle.

A high profile friendly between Nigeria and Burkina Faso was on the cards in London last year, before the World Cup in Russia. But it was cancelled because the Burkinabe team could not secure UK visas for the match.

Nigeria will play its Africa Cup of Nations matches in Group B along Guinea, Madagascar and Burundi.

Source:Thisday