The Super Eagles have the objective of coming out of Wednesday’s
friendly against the Czech Republic with a win to set them in great
psychological tune for the FIFA World Cup finals.
Coach Gernot Rohr said on Tuesday that a win would be the target,
against the backdrop of consecutive losses in friendly matches against
Serbia and England and with Nigeria’s first match of the FIFA World
Cup against Croatia only 10 days away.
“We will go for victory that would boost spirit and earn team
confidence ahead of our first match in Russia. It would not be an easy
pick but we will work hard for it.”
Wednesday’s encounter at the Rudolf Tonn Stadium – a multi-use
facility in Rannersdorf, a city in the sub-division of Schwechat,
outside Vienna – will be the third official meeting between both
countries.
Nigeria and then Czechoslovakia drew 1-1 in a group phase match at the
1980 Olympics in Moscow, with Vizek scoring for the Czechs in the
first half and Henry Nwosu equalizing for the Eagles with six minutes
left on the clock. Nigerian forward Emmanuel Osigwe had a goal from a
long range free –kick disallowed.
The Czechs edged their second meeting in Rabat on 11th December 1996
by two goals to one – as part of the King Hassan Cup Tournament.
Team spirit was further lifted ahead of the match following the
arrival of backroom staff members Nnaemeka Anozie (Team
Physiotherapist), Chidi Ngoka (Equipment Manager) and Labaran Awaku
(Equipment Officer) from London. The three persons were denied entry
visas into Austria by that country’s embassy in Nigeria, but the
Nigeria Football Federation approached the Embassy of Austria in the
United Kingdom, with the assistance of the Nigeria High Commission in
London, and the visas were issued on Tuesday.
