Nigeria’s second match in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers will hold in an empty stadium on Tuesday, following a directive issued by Confederation of African Football (CAF), megasportsarena.com reports.
This is in contrast with a reprieve for Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), which successfully had 5,000 fans cleared to watch Friday’s opening match of the Super Eagles versus Liberia at Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
Although the NFF had requested for 12,000 spectators in the stands, CAF only approved less than half that number, but it was an appreciable turn out that cheered the Eagles to a 2-0 win against The Lone Star.
Conversely, The Blue Sharks of Cape Verde will not have a similar boost when they host the Eagles on Tuesday, after CAF directed that the game should be played without any fans in the stands.
Tuesday’s game will come almost two years after Super Eagles B lost 2-3 on a penalties to Cape Verde, after regulation time end 1-1 in their classification game of the WAFU Cup of Nations.
Sikiru Alimi scored in the 64th minute of the tipsy-turvey match, but the Island Nation responded, and leveled up in the 87th minute.
After the final whistle, the sides couldn’t be separated and the match went into shootout, which the Nigerian side lost and the home-based Eagles failed woefully, having lost 2-1 to Togo in their opening game.
Heading into next week’s game, Cape Verde’s coach, Pedro ‘Bubista’ Brito has named a 26-man squad for Los Blue Tubarões who have had three outings at the AFCON but are yet to qualify for the World Cup.
They will host Nigeria’s Eagles on September 7 at the 5,000 capacity Aderito Sena Stadium in Mindelo, but the arena will be empty for the game, due to the directive by CAF.
Cape Verde’s football governing body confirmed that CAF did not approve for spectators to be allowed inside the stadium for the match, which will be the second game between the two West African nations.
In their first and only previous confrontation at full intrnational level, the Eagles forced The Blue Sharks to a 1-1 draw in a friendly in 2013.
They will now aim for supremacy over the squad that were forced to a 1-1 draw by Central African Republic in Group C’s opening match of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers on Wednesday in Douala, Cameroon.
Cape Verde, though, can take consolation in knowing that Nigeria will be depleted for Tuesday’s game, as the three-time African champions will not have six stars from the English Premier League and two from the Scottish Premiership Scotland in the game.
Among those who will be absent on account of anti-Coronavirus pandemic protocols instituted by the government of United Kingdom, will be Kelechi Iheanacho, who scored both goals that gave Nigeria a 2-0 win over Liberia in their opening game of the qualifiers on Friday in Lagos.
A report by cafonline stated: “Kelechi Iheanacho scored twice as Nigeria beat Liberia 2-0 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos on Friday to clinch victory in their opening game of the FIFA World Cup, Qatar 2022 Qualifiers.
“The Super Eagles who have been at the FIFA World Cup six times showed their worth as one of the contenders for the 2022 ticket with a measured and assured performance.
“Iheanacho continued in his rich vein of form, scoring the opening goal after 22 minutes. The goal came after several missed chances with Alex Iwobi one of the players who had come close for the home side.
“Nigeria went to the break with a two-goal cushion, Iheanacho scoring his second of the evening with a swift control and shot inside the box after Iwobi had flicked a long throw to his direction.
“The Super Eagles were in equal crisp control in the second half and Iheanacho should have completed a hat-trick but his header from a cross was over, with good scoring range.
“The home side just but managed to hold on to the 2-0 scoreline as they put themselves firmly in pole position.
“The Nigerians next take on Cape Verde away from home whole Liberia will host the Central African Republic.”
