NFF: Mexico Friendly Was Strategic

NFF: Mexico Friendly Was Strategic

Posted: Jun 02, 2013

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has moved to explain the timing of Saturday’s international friendly between Nigeria and Mexico.

The Super Eagles and Mexico’s El Tri served off a 2-2 free-for-all at the Reliant Stadium in Houston with Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez cancelling out strikes by Brown Ideye and John Ogu.
The NFF has now explained why the game was played with just days to Nigeria’s crucial 2014 Fifa World Cup qualifying game against Kenya in Nairobi.

Executive committee member and technical committee chairman of the body, Barrister Christopher Green said it was important the game against Mexico was played at the time it was.
“You will not leave anybody in doubt about our (NFF) preparations for competitive matches. Now we have played against Mexico; a tune-up game that will help the coach instill his philosophies as well as try new formations with the players ahead of the upcoming qualifying games against Kenya and Namibia,” Green told supersport.com.

The NFF chief said “mistakes were made” before the reverse fixture against the Harambee Stars stressing that Saturday’s game against El Tri would prevent such recurring during the return.
“It was obvious that several mistakes were made before that 1-1 draw against Kenya in Calabar and we wanted to ensure this does not happen in future.

“You also know that the Super Eagles have not played any competitive match since that game against the Kenyans about three months ago so it is only proper that the boys integrate before they go straight into such a crucial qualifier against the Kenyans,” he said.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles will face the Harambee Stars in Nairobi on June 5 before proceeding to Windhoek to confront Namibia on June 12 in another World Cup qualifier.

The African champions will then round off a busy month’s programme in Brazil during the Fifa Confederations Cup.

The Super Eagles currently lead Group F of Africa zone for the 2014 Fifa World Cup qualifying on five points from three matches. -------------------- Complete Sports