By Amaechi Agbo

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF have lined up two friend matches for the Super Eagles ahead of their 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON qualifying double header against Sierra Leone, Bestchoicesports.com.ng can reported

NFF President, Amaju Pinnick confirmed this in a series of tweets monitored by this paper Wednesday.

The two matches which will hold in Austria will be played on 9th and 13th of October, 2020.

“As we await the Federal Government’s pronouncement on the resumption of football, the Federation has been in active discussions about possible friendly matches and I’m happy to say we have finally sealed two high profile matches for next month,” Pinnick started

“On the 9th of October, the Super Eagles will play former African champions, Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) in a friendly game, then face another African giant and former champions, Tunisia, four days later, on the 13th,” he said.

While confirming that the two matches would hold in Austria, Pinnick noted that
the matches were taken there as a result of the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic in the globe as well as the fact that the country is closer to all the super Eagles players in Europe.

“Both games will be held in Austria for a few obvious reasons due to the COVID-19 protocols presently in place and the proximity of the bulk of our team as well. Austria was seen as an ideal venue.

“I’ll have to stress as well, that ALL costs will be borne by the Football Federations of both Nigeria and Cote D’Ivoire, as well as Tunisia”

Nigeria will player Sierra Leone in a two-leg home and away 2022 AFCON qualifiers on 9th and 17th of November.

The 33rd edition of AFCON is scheduled to be hosted by Cameroon .

The tournament was originally scheduled to be played in June and July 2021, but the CAF announced on 15 January 2020 that due to unfavourable climatic conditions during this period, the tournament would take place between 9 January and 6 February 2021.

However, on 30 June 2020, CAF moved the tournament for the third time to January 2022 following the effects of the
COVID-19 pandemic.