Connect with us

AFCON

PINNICK HAILS PRESIDENT BUHARI AS SUPER EAGLES PICK AFCON 2019 TICKET

Published

on

An ecstatic President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Melvin Pinnick heaped encomiums on Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government for providing the conducive environment for Nigerian football to continue to thrive, while praising specially Governor Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau State who led the Nigeria delegation to the big match.

 

“This is great day for Nigerian Football. Just as happened in the qualifying series for the FIFA World Cup, we have won the ticket to the AFCON with a match to spare. This victory is for President Muhammadu Buhari and the Government and people of Nigeria. We commend the technical crew and the players, and I must praise Governor Simon Lalong who is here with his wife to support the team. He has been a pillar of support. I also congratulate the Members of the NFF Executive Committee, NFF Management and Staff, Members of the NFF Congress, Football Stakeholders and the media.

 

“We will begin the preparations for the AFCON immediately. As I have said several times, we do not want the AFCON ticket just to go there and make up the number, but to make a massive impact at the finals,” said Pinnick, who is also the President of the AFCON Organizing Committee, aside being the 1st Vice President of the Confederation of African Football.

Advertisement

 

The Nigerian delegation is expected to fly back to Asaba, Delta State in the early hours of Sunday. The Super Eagles have a friendly international with the Cranes of Uganda at the Stephen Keshi Stadium on Tuesday evening.

 

South Africa, who host Paraguay in the annual Nelson Mandela Memorial Challenge in Durban also on Tuesday, must avoid defeat to Libya in Tunisia in March to qualify for the 2019 AFCON, while Nigeria have a relatively easy session at home to Seychelles.

Advertisement

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.

Continue Reading
Advertisement