Eagles, Walya Antelopes clash again

The Nigeria Football Federation has arranged a friendly with the Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia to serve as appetiser ahead of the 3rd African Nations Championship.

The match will hold at the Abuja National Stadium on Saturday at which the home-based Eagles will engage their Ethiopian counterparts.

Ademola Olajire, Assistant Director (Media), Nigeria Football Federation, in a statement in Abuja on Jan. 1, said the kick off had been scheduled for 4.00pm.

Both teams would be in the finals of the championship taking place over three weeks in three cities in South Africa in a competition holding from Jan. 11 to Feb. 1.

The competition is exclusively for senior professionals players in the domestic leagues of their various countries.

The Ethiopian would play in Group C of the competition alongside Ghana, Congo and Libya in Mangaung, while the Super Eagles would play the hosts, South Africa, Mali and Mozambique in Cape Town in Group A.

The Group B will feature Zimbabwe, Morocco, Burkina Faso and Uganda, while the Democratic Republic of Congo, champions of the inaugural tournament in 2009, will play in Group D alongside Mauritania, Gabon and Burundi.

The statement quoted the General Secretary of the NFA, Musa Amadu, as explaining that the association arranged the friendly in order to give the Eagles a final build-up before being transported to South Africa.

“We contacted a number of countries also heading to the 3rd Orange African Nations Championship and we are delighted that the Ethiopians accepted our offer.

“They will arrive in Nigeria on Friday, play the game on Saturday and depart from Abuja on Sunday,” Amadu said.

Nigeria eliminated Ethiopia during the final play-off via 1-4 goals aggregate to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

The Antelopes delegation, to be led by Yoseph Tesfaye, will include 23 players and six officials.

The coach is Sewnet Bisha, who is also the coach of Ethiopia’s A Team.

The 23 Ethiopian players are Jemal Tasew, Dereje Alemu, Tariku Getent, Degu Debebe, Aynalem Hailu, Thok James, Biyadiglign Elyas, Alula Girma and Seyoum Tesfaye.

Others are Birhanu Bogale, Abebaw Butako, Asrat Megersa, Fasika Asfaw, Mentsenot Adane, Salahadin Bargicho, Ephrem Ashamo, Behailu Assefa, Minyahile Teshome, Taddele Menghesa, Omod Okwury, Adane Girma, Dawit Fekadu and Manaye Fantu.