Nigeria may meet Zimbabwe in pre-AFCON friendly next month

Reports from Zimbabwe say that the country’s football association have indicated that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is in talks with the Southern African country for an Egypt 2019 African Nations Cup warm up match to hold in Asaba next month.

A report by news.pindula.co.zw said sources told NewsDaySport that the NFF offered ZIFA a friendly match in Nigeria, adding that talks are on-going between ZIFA president, Felton Kamambo, who is in Nigeria for the NFF-AITEO Awards, and officials of the NFF.

The report added: “He is in Nigeria for two reasons. He was invited for the Aiteo awards, and also to sort out the logistics for a friendly match with Nigeria.

“The Nigeria Federation is also offering a three-week camp for the Warriors. During that time, the Warriors will play Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire, who have also shown genuine interest.

“The president will also use the occasion to organise at least one more friendly match with one other team preferably from West or North Africa.

“Zifa want to ensure that the Warriors get adequate preparations for the Afcon finals. The target that has been given to the technical team, as you might be aware is to go to the quarterfinals and they have to be given all the necessary support. All these matches will be in preparation of the African Cup of Nations set to kick off on June 21 in Egypt.”

The Warriors’ poor performance at previous editions of the African Nations Cup, the report said, has been attributed to inadequate preparations, which stifled the Warriors quest to go beyond the group stages.

The draw to put 24 participating teams into six groups shall take place in Egypt on 12 April.
The top two teams of each group, along with the best four third-placed teams, advance to the round of 16.