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VIDEO: AHEAD OF LIBYAN ENCOUNTER, ROHR APPEALS FOR GOOD PITCH

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As Nigerians look towards next month’s back-to-back encounters with 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying Group E table toppers, Libya, the Super Eagles’ manager, Gernot Rohr has declared that the venue for the first leg in Nigeria is still unknown.

The match holds on October 10 while the return leg will be played on October 13 in Tunisia, the adopted home ground of troubled Libya.

According to the coach in a video interview conducted in Seychelles by the Super Eagles’ media officer, Toyin Ibitoye, his target is to get at least four points from the two encounters with Libya.

“We are a point behind, so we have to win here. But I don’t know where we will play. We need a good pitch; a big one where we can play our football against a team which did a good job in South Africa.

“That is why we need a good pitch to play our football especially for our wingers to play technical football. I hope we will have it in Nigeria. October is coming quickly”, remarked the coach.

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The Super Eagles played most of their World Cup qualifying matches in Uyo. But it is not certain yet if the team will return to the same arena. Some weeks ago, the coach and two other team officials were in Kaduna to inspect the Ahmadu Bello Stadium.

There has been no confirmation yet, if the Libyan match will be played there. But two weeks ago while unveiling the list of players for the Seychelles match, Rohr’s preference was the National Stadium, Abuja if the pitch is put in proper shape.

He suggested that if grasses were imported from South Africa, the pitch can be back in shape within two weeks. In a related issue, the coach hopes that the injured trio of Mikel Obi, William Ekong and Ola Aina would have recovered enough for the match against Libya.

He was however elated by the performances of new boys – Samuel Kalu, a striker with Bordeaux FC in France and Semi Ajayi (Rotherham United, England).

 

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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