Nigeria: Eagles, Argentina to Play in Bangladesh

Ismaila Lere

9 June 2011

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed that the national senior team, Super Eagles, will trade tackles with the senior team of Argentina in another international friendly in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh on September 6.

NFF General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu said on Wednesday: “Yes, we can confirm that there will be an international friendly match between the Nigeria senior team and the senior team of Argentina in Bangladesh in September.

“Every document that will make the match a reality has been signed and we are looking forward to a big game. The two teams will go to Bangladesh with their first teams and all the top stars”, stated Amadu.

Similarly, Bangladesh’s football chief said yesterday that a September friendly between Argentina and Nigeria would boost the sport in the country.

“Our $4 million contract with both sides says the Argentina team must include Messi,” he said, referring to the Barcelona attacker and world player of the year.

“The sight of Messi playing on our soil will be the best thing to have happened to Bangladesh football in many years. It will prompt a lot of boys to play football,” he predicted.

English newspaper The Guardian said yesterday that the world soccer body FIFA was probing heavy betting on a late goal being scored in last week’s game in Abuja where Nigeria took on an under-strength Argentina.

Nigeria won the match in the Nigerian capital 4-1, but Argentina scored from a dubious penalty in the eighth minute of injury time.

The match in Dhaka “is a FIFA-approved international friendly. It’s not like the Abuja match in which Nigeria took on an Argentina B side,” Salauddin said, referring to a match last week.

“It will be a competitive game with no chance of any betting or fixing,” he said, adding that suggestions the match might be fixed were “rubbish”.

Nigeria thrashed Argentina 4-1 in an international friendly match at the National Stadium, Abuja on Wednesday, June 1.

This second clash in three months between the two countries comes up three days after the Super Eagles’ very important African Nations Cup qualifier against Madagascar in Antananarivo.

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