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Sports News of Saturday, 27 February 2021

Source: punchng.com

AFCON qualifiers: Eagles to travel by sea to Cotonou

The Super Eagles of Nigeria The Super Eagles of Nigeria

The Super Eagles 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Benin Republic has been fixed for Saturday, March 27 in Port Novo, The PUNCH reports.

The PUNCH also gathered that the team’s training camp billed for Lagos will begin on March 22.

Eagles coach Gernot Rohr also disclosed that the team would travel to Benin Republic with a boat across the Gulf of Guinea for the game billed for the Stade de l’Amitie.

Although its just 75 miles between Lagos and Porto Novo, the journey takes up to five hours because of the bad roads enroute Benin Republic.

“We are playing in Lagos for the first time in a very long time. I am very excited for the players,”Rohr said.

“So, it’s important we have good security and escorts to move around. The traffic in Lagos is terrible.

“For the first match in Benin (Republic), we are playing in the city of Cotonou. We will stay in Lagos ahead of the match.

“But because the road is not good between Lagos and Cotonou, we will travel to the match on a boat because the crossing only lasts two hours, instead of many hours on poor roads.”

Nigeria won the first fixture two years ago 2-1 in Uyo, with goals from Samuel Kalu and Victor Osimhen, after the visitors had taken a shock lead.

The Eagles welcome Lesotho in their final qualifier on March 30 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.

The Super Eagles 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Benin Republic has been fixed for Saturday, March 27 in Port Novo, The PUNCH reports.

The PUNCH also gathered that the team’s training camp billed for Lagos will begin on March 22.

Eagles coach Gernot Rohr also disclosed that the team would travel to Benin Republic with a boat across the Gulf of Guinea for the game billed for the Stade de l’Amitie.

Although its just 75 miles between Lagos and Porto Novo, the journey takes up to five hours because of the bad roads enroute Benin Republic.

“We are playing in Lagos for the first time in a very long time. I am very excited for the players,”Rohr said.

“So, it’s important we have good security and escorts to move around. The traffic in Lagos is terrible.

“For the first match in Benin (Republic), we are playing in the city of Cotonou. We will stay in Lagos ahead of the match.

“But because the road is not good between Lagos and Cotonou, we will travel to the match on a boat because the crossing only lasts two hours, instead of many hours on poor roads.”

Nigeria won the first fixture two years ago 2-1 in Uyo, with goals from Samuel Kalu and Victor Osimhen, after the visitors had taken a shock lead.

The Eagles welcome Lesotho in their final qualifier on March 30 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.