South Africans arrive, vow to frustrate Nigeria in Uyo

The South African contingent were expected to arrive in Lagos yesterday and depart for Uyo today ahead of their Cameroun 2019 African Nations Cup qualifier against the Super Eagles.

The Stuart Baxter-led team, which believe they can get a good result in Nigeria to make their qualification for the 2019 AFCON seamless, were expected to arrive aboard a South African Airways flight by 8.00 p.m. yesterday.

Looking forward to fruitful outing in Uyo, Baxter told the South African press that they could win the game if the Bafana Bafana managed to shut up the Uyo crowd in the first 20 minutes.

“If we let the crowd get excited‚ and Nigeria enjoy the game‚ then I think that’s going to be a big plus for them.

“I think if we can turn that around and frustrate them a bit‚ and be better than they think‚ and have more to say than they think‚ then maybe the crowd could be a bit of a negative for them.

“I think that’s important. And maybe if Nigeria could have chosen‚ they might not really have wanted to playus in the first game at home. Because then there is the scenario that if they lose they’re going to be under tremendous pressure from the beginning.“

Baxter said he is coming to Nigeria with 25 soldiers, adding, “The players have gone there‚ they’ve gone through the mill so to speak.

Meanwhile, the Akwa Ibom State Police Command has revealed that adequate security arrangements has been put in to ensure a hitch free game.

In a statement signed by the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Chukwu Ikechukwu, and made available to The Guardian in Uyo yesterday, the Commissioner of Police, Donald Awunah, assured soccer loving-Nigerians that they would enjoy the football match under a peaceful atmosphere devoid of any infractions of law.

According to the statement, the command would deploy over 500 specially selected officers knowledgeable in crowd control and policing events to provide top notch security before, during and after the football match.

“In addition, due to influx of soccer fans into the state, adequate crime reduction strategies have been emplaced to check crime and criminalities, throughout the State.  It is also in addition to existing anti crime measures in the State.