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In what represents the last opportunity for Nigerian Football fans to cheer the Super Eagles at home before the FIFA World Cup finals in Russia, the three –time African champions will clash with the Simba of Democratic Republic of Congo at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium on Monday evening.
Simba’s delegation of 28 players landed in Port Harcourt on Thursday night, to give the Super Eagles a good match.
Two –time African champions Democratic Republic of Congo are loaded to the hilt with their big –name performers, with only Yannick Bolasie missing. Yannick Bangala, Chancel Mbemba, Aaron Tshibola, Paul-Jose Mpoku and Gael Kakuta, as well as Cedric Bakambu, Britt Assombalonga, Benik Afobe, Kabongo Kasongo and Ben Malango are all in Port Harcourt.
However, the Eagles are in great form and are in no mood to allow anyone desecrate their parade, with Captain Mikel John Obi saying on Sunday that himself and team-mates are supremely motivated to battle any opposition hands down.
Nigeria’s Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr will drop 5players from the provisional list of 30 after Monday’s encounter.
After training for five days at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Rohr and wards arrived Port Harcourt on Saturday night, and were scheduled to train at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium on Sunday evening.
Certainly, the most famous encounter between both countries remains their clash in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia in March 1976, when a young Eagles’ squad thrashed the Cup holders 4-2 to the shock of African football enthusiasts.
Baba Otu Mohammed scored two of those goals, with Sam Ojebode making good from the penalty spot and Thompson Usiyen getting Nigeria’s other goal. In that squad were the likes of Joe Erico, Sani Mohammed, Godwin Odiye, Idowu Otubusin, Kelechi Emeteole, Ojebode, Muda Lawal, Aloysius Atuegbu, Haruna Ilerika, Baba Otu, Usiyen and Kunle Awesu.
EAGLES UNDER ROHR:
Nigeria 1 Tanzania 0 (Uyo: AFCON Qualifier)
Zambia 1 Nigeria 2 (Ndola: WC Qualifier)
Nigeria 3 Algeria 1 (Uyo: WC Qualifier)
Senegal 1 Nigeria 1 (London: Friendly)
Corsica 1 Nigeria 1 (Ajaccio: Friendly)
Nigeria 3 Togo 0 (Paris: Friendly)
Nigeria 0 South Africa 2 (Uyo: AFCON Qualifier)
Nigeria 4 Cameroon 0 (Uyo: WC Qualifier)
Cameroon 1 Nigeria 1 (Yaounde: WC Qualifier)
Nigeria 1 Zambia 0 (Uyo: WC Qualifier)
Algeria 1 Nigeria 1 (Constantine: WC Qualifier)
Argentina 2 Nigeria 4 (Krasnodar: Friendly)
Poland 0 Nigeria 1 (Wroclaw: Friendly)
Serbia 2 Nigeria 0 (London: Friendly)
Nigeria/DRCongo Head-to-head:
5/11/1966: Nigeria 3 DR Congo 2 (Lagos: Friendly)
27/11/1966: DR Congo 1 Nigeria 0 (Kinshasa: Friendly)
1/3/1976: DR Congo 2 Nigeria 4 (Dire Dawa: AFCON 1976)
19/1/1992: DR Congo 0 Nigeria 1 (Ziguichor: AFCON 1992)
2/4/1994: DR Congo 0 Nigeria 2 (Tunis: AFCON 1994)
3/3/2010: Nigeria 5 DR Congo 2 (Abuja: Friendly)
More motivation is in store for players of the Super Eagles to give their best on Monday,
Nff partners Simba Group officials are in Port Harcourt with the expensive Apache TRT 1600 model that will be handed over to the winner, just as TGI have the bags of Big Bull rice that the winner will go home with.
Already, players of the Super Eagles have set eyes on the Apache TRT 1600 motorcycle and are excited about the prospect of going home with one.
