Super Eagles assistant coach Salisu Yusuf said on Friday that the Super Eagles B are fully prepared for the Etalons of Burkina Faso ahead of Saturday’s 2016 African Nations Championship final qualifying round, first leg match in Port Harcourt.

“We have prepared hard, and we know victory will be ours. We take this match very serious because it is the final qualifying round, and we will have no excuse for Nigerians if we fail.

“We shall work hard to win handsomely, but we must score the first goal, before we score the other goals. That means we must approach the match with a level head and play normally.”

Yusuf spoke at the pre –match press conference at the Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt, which was also attended by assistant coach Jean Francois Loscuito, as well as Eagles’ skipper Gbolahan Salami and goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa.

The former Enyimba FC, Kano Pillars and El-Kanemi Warriors chief tactician was one of 18 coaches who attended a capacity –building program motivated by the NFF in the United Kingdom in March this year, and he also attended a ProZone software special training also in the UK the following month.

“We have been studying previous matches of the Burkina Faso team. They are certainly a good side but we have an idea of the best way to approach the game,” he said.

Salami, who was a member of the side that won bronze at the last championship in South Africa early 2014, said the Eagles desire to win well on the pitch of the Adokiye Amiesiamaka Stadium on Saturday evening.

“We are focused on the match and there are quite a number of good players in the team. There is confidence all around, but we do not under –rate the Burkinabes because we know they are good.

“We have no choice but to win and win well.”

On his part, assistant coach Jean Francois Loscuito said he hoped his experience of working in Burkina Faso will help greatly in devising a playing pattern that will unsettle the Etalons.

“Surely, they play as a unit, but they are missing a number of players and I believe this will be to the Super Eagles’ advantage on Saturday.”

NFF Admin
Author: NFF Admin

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