ABUJA - Sierra Leone’s national team, the Leone Stars, are billed to arrive in Nigeria today for Saturday’s 2010 World Cup/Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
Sierra Leone have seven points from their five previous games, following wins over Equatorial Guinea and South Africa in Freetown and a draw with the South Africans away.
They lost to Equatorial Guinea in Malabo and to Nigeria in Freetown.
Already, Super Eagles’ head coach Shuaibu Amodu has replaced injured Dynamo Kyiv of Ukraine midfielder Kazeem Ayila with 2008 Beijing Olympics sensation, Oluwafemi Ajilore.
That means the 21 year old will join up with goalkeepers Bamidele Aiyenugba and Austin Ejide, defenders Joseph Yobo, Danny Shittu, Taye Taiwo, Chidi Odiah, Apam Onyekachi and Dele Adeleye, midfielders Christian Obodo, Sani Kaita, Kalu Uche and Mikel Obi, and forwards Nwankwo Kanu, Joseph Akpala, Obinna Nsofor, Chinedu Obasi, Osaze Odemwingie, Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Ikechukwu Uche for the encounter.
Spain–based Ikechukwu Uche is Nigeria’s leading scorer in the qualifying series with three goals.
Victory in Saturday’s match will earn Nigeria the maximum 18 points from six matches, boosting the Super Eagles’ chances of being seeded for the third and final phase of the series which begin at the end of March, 2009.
Nigeria have beaten South Africa and Equatorial Guinea home and away and also picked all three points in Freetown courtesy of a late goal by Joseph Yobo.
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