Les Sao perfect strategies in Paris Global airline giants, Air France is expected to airlift a 35-man Chad football national team and officials from Paris to Abuja ahead of this weekend’s AFCON 2017 qualifier against Nigeria.
Barring any last minutes hitch, the Chadian national team will arrive in Nigeria on Thursday for this weekend’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the Super Eagles.
The Chadians are scheduled to depart France from Charles De Gaulle airport on Wednesday night. Nigeria Football Federation media officer, Ademola Olajire, revealed that the team’s arrival date is unlikely to change, adding the Chadians did not come up with any form of hanky panky that most of Nigeria’s opponents are known for in the past.
The Les Sao have been on an intensive training tour of France as part of their preparations to knock the players into top shape considering the pedigree of their Nigerian opponents.
Coach Emmanuel Trégoat will be banking on experience France-based player, Stade Lavallois, Mahamat Labbo and Sloga Kraljevoand FC striker, Misdongarde Betolngar, to avoid a rout against Nigeria on Saturday.
The Chad national football team have never qualified for either the Africa Cup of Nations or World Cup. They have participated in World Cup qualifiers three times, starting in 2000 when they were eliminated in the first round by Liberia, losing 0–1 at home, and playing 0–0 away.
They were coached by Marcel Mao then. Their next attempt was in 2003, under Yann Djim, but they were eliminated by Angola. They won their first match at home 3–1 when Francis Oumar Belonga scored a hat trick, but lost their away match 2–0, thus failing to go to next phase.
Qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup brought more matches because they played in a group phase together with Mali, Sudan and Congo. They finished at the bottom of the group, with six points (two wins, four losses).
In Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, they made four attempts without success.
