SAMBA FEVER: Elderson Echiejile, Ahmed Musa’s Injuries Worry Stephen Keshi

SUPER Eagles’ Coach, Stephen Keshi, is waiting for the scan on the injured Elderson Echiejile and Ahmed Musa to decide if they would be available for Saturday’s friendly against the USA.

The Eagles had a hectic training session in Jacksonville, Florida, yesterday, having arrived the city on Wednesday from Philadelphia.

Ahmed Musa and Elderson Echejile trained on their own as they gradually recover from knocks they received in the friendly against Greece on Tuesday.

Echejile was due for scan on his thigh muscle later yesterday. Team doctor, Ibrahim Gyaran, said it was important to do the scan to know the injury level, but he does not foresee a serious
problem.

The team is quartered at the exquisite Hyatt Hotel overlooking the city’s river and about 20 minutes drive from where the team had its first training session yesterday morning; the Jacksonville United FC training pitch.

Team Skipper, Joseph Yobo and Ogenyo Onazi have been speaking on their expectations at the Mundial Coupe. Yobo said he was delighted to have been picked by the technical crew and called for total concentration from his teammates.

“We have to give our all in the tourney because in future people will ask when you were playing what did you achieve”.

We have won the Nations Cup, now is the time to aim for the big one,” he said.

To Onazi, the Super Eagles will be the surprise package in Brazil.

“Yes, they say we have not been scoring many goals but these are preparatory games, when we come to the tournament proper they will see the real Nigerian national team,” the Lazio star said.

The team will train only once this afternoon at the stadium where the game against the United States will be played tomorrow evening.

Meanwhile, midway into last Tuesday’s international friendly between Nigeria and Greece in Philadelphia, the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), led by Alhaji Aminu Maigari and that of the Greece FA, headed by Sarris Georgious, took time off to exchange pleasantries and national flags in a bid
to strengthen football ties between both nations.

Maigari, who was assisted by Chairman, NFF Technical Committee, Chris Green, said he was delighted to exchange good tidings with the leadership of the Greek FA and wished them the best of luck in their matches at the upcoming World Cup in Brazil.

The Greek FA boss spoke in a similar vein, as both men beamed with smiles while exchanging national colours. Both countries have a long but healthy rivalry in football since Nigeria first crushed the Greeks in a group game at its maiden appearance in the World Cup tagged USA ’94.