The Nigerian National team the Super Eagles will arrive today to play Leone Stars in what looks set to be a thrilling encounter at the National Stadium in Freetown.
The Super Eagles in their first encounter defeated one of their arch rivals in the group South Africa by two goals to nil in Abuja. Before that match the Nigeria team played a friendly international with Austria which ended in a goalless draw.
This particular match is to build the team for the competition as the Nigerian team wants to be present both in the African Nations Cup in Angola and the World Cup in South Africa in 2010.
The victory against South Africa has put Nigeria second in the FIFA Africa ranking behind Cameroon which is first and this news was well received by the Nigerian football administrators.
Speaking to Awoko Sports from Nigeria one of their sports editor who will accompany the team for this all important encounter disclosed that they need all the three points as they want to qualify for both competitions before the second phase.
The advance party arrived yesterday and among its members is Coach Peters who was brought in some months ago to manage the National team, but who later quit because of reasons best known to him.
According to the FIFA rankings released on Wednesday, Nigeria now ranks 34th in the world with 709 points, making it second best in Africa behind Cameroun which is now placed 13th.
In other development the other African countries on the rankings are: Ghana who are placed 16th in the world and third best in Africa with 986 points; Egypt with 848 points ranked 23rd while Cote d’Ivoire dropped by three places and is now ranked 25th with 838 points. Morocco with 690 points is now 40th in the world. Guinea ranks 41st with 679 points; Senegal 43rd with 667 points; Mali 46th with 630 points and Tunisia with 594 points ranked 50th completed the list of African countries on the list of first 50.
The first eight countries on the ranking remain unchanged with Argentina still the best team in the world with 1559 points while, Brazil with 1513, Italy 1424 and Spain on 1303 were second, third and fourth respectively.
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