*Ekong, Aina, Ebuehi, Iwobi, Balogun, Idowu are the early birds in camp
Duro Ikhazuagbe with agency report
When Super Eagles turn out at the 42,000 capacity Stadium Wroclaw on Friday to engage Poland in their first tune-up match en-route the World Cup in Russia in less than three months from today, Gernot Rohr and his wards will meet more than they bargained for.
The Bialo-Czerwoni (White and Red), as the Polish senior football team is called, will take on the three-time African champions in front of a full house.
As at press time last night, only six Super Eagles have arrived the team’s camp in Wroclaw from their respective clubs in Europe. The early birds include; Williams Troost Ekong, Ola Aina, Tyrone Ebuehi, Alex Iwobi, Leon Balogun and Brian Idowu. Others were been expected in late last night with the rest arriving today for training to begin.
Top Polish journalist, Piotr Kozminski, hinted SCORENigeria that all the available 42,000 tickets have been picked by Polish football fans who want to gauge their team against an African opposition.
“The 42,000 tickets for this game have been sold out, the company responsible for this has announced,†Kozminski revealed yesterday.
He hinted that expectations were high in the country for the Bialo-Czerwoni to do well in Russia this coming summer.
The clash against Nigeria is to give them an idea of what to expect when they take on robust-playing Senegal in their opening game of Group H.
“There is high expectation around the team leading to the World Cup in Russia and it will be a major disappointment if they do not go past a first round group that also has Colombia, Senegal and Japan.
“The Polish FA boss, Zbigniew Boniek, a famous player in his playing days, said he expects Poland not to lose their opening game against Senegal and for Colombia and Poland go through,†stressed the top Polish sports journalist
And four days later, they will take on another World Cup qualifier South Korea so as to prepare for their group game against Japan.
Interestingly, while there is frenzy in Wroclaw over the clash, Nigerian midfielder, Ogenyi Onazi who is expected to arrive Eagles’ Radisson Blu Hotel camp today, insisted that there was nothing friendly about the match.
“Yes it’s a friendly match, but we don’t see it as friendly, every game is important for us as we start our World Cup build-up,†Onazi observed yesterday.
The Trabzonspor of Turkey midfielder who scored a spectacular goal on Sunday for his club in the 4–1 win over Yeni Malatyaspor, is to have a delayed transit in Germany before connecting straight to the Polish city for the Friday night friendly.
“I will arrive on Tuesday because I have a very long transit from Frankfurt to Poland,†concludes the Jos-born Onazi.
Four days after the game in Wroclaw, Eagles are to take on Serbia in another friendly against Russia 2018-bound team at The Hive in London (home ground of Barnet FC and London Bees).
