With Bafana Bafana yet to assemble‚ Nigeria get double boost ahead of Uyo qualifier

02 June 2017 - 18:09 By Mark Gleeson
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A file photo of Ogu John Ugochukwu (L) of Nigeria and Bongani Zungu (C) of Bafana Bafana as his teammate Tokelo Rantie (R) watches on during the International Friendly match between South Africa and Nigeria at Mbombela Stadium on March 29, 2015 in Nelspruit, South Africa.
A file photo of Ogu John Ugochukwu (L) of Nigeria and Bongani Zungu (C) of Bafana Bafana as his teammate Tokelo Rantie (R) watches on during the International Friendly match between South Africa and Nigeria at Mbombela Stadium on March 29, 2015 in Nelspruit, South Africa.
Image: Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images

Nigeria have issued an ominous warning to Bafana Bafana as they strengthened their squad this week with their English Premier League stars and romped to an easy 3-0 win over Togo in warm-up international.

The Super Eagles received this double boost just over a week before they host South Africa in Uyo on June 10 at the start of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

While Bafana are yet to assemble for their pre-match preparations‚ the Nigerians have already had a full week of preparations‚ albeit with the majority of their key players only joining them this week.

  • BREAKING: Safa reaches CCMA case settlement with Shakes MashabaThe South African Football Association (Safa) have reached an amicable settlement agreement with axed former Bafana Bafana coach Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba at the CCMA to end a long-running arbitration hearing. 

But Leicester City’s Ahmed Musa and Kelechi Iheanacho of Manchester City wasted no time to settling back in with their compatriots and scored inside the opening 30 minutes of Thursday’s friendly against Togo in the suburbs of Paris.

Two of the goals were set up by Alex Iwobi‚ fresh from helping Arsenal to FA Cup success last Saturday.

  • Bafana Bafana drop one place in the latest FIFA rankingsSouth Africa have slipped one place to number 65 in the latest FIFA World Rankings released on Thursday. 

Nigeria also have Leicester midfielder Wilfred Ndidi in their squad but Victor Moses of Chelsea is a major absentee.

He is said to be undergoing surgery after delaying fixing a toe injury until the end of the season.

Nigeria have also added Chippa United goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi to their squad for the Bafana meeting although he was not in the line-up nor on the bench against Togo.

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport

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