The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced that the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba will host the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers clash between Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
The Godswill Akpabio stadium in Akwa Ibom hosted the Super Eagles clash against the Benin Republic last November and has been home to the National team for over five years now.
However, in a statement released by NFF's communications department, the Super Eagles will be moving from Akwa Ibom to Asaba when Afcon qualifiers resume next month.
The Stephen Keshi stadium has also hosted previous Super Eagles matches in the past. Uganda were the first team to play Nigeria in the stadium, while Seychelles and Egypt have also played Nigeria at the same venue.
NFF's statement read: “The 15,400 – capacity Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba will host next month’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone, the Nigeria Football Federation has announced.”
“We have finally settled for the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba for the qualifying match against Sierra Leone. The match will be played on Friday, 27th March 2020,” NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, said at the weekend.
The venue, named after former Nigeria captain and coach Stephen Okechukwu Keshi (of blessed memory), has hosted several international matches involving the Super Eagles and the Nigeria U23 squad since it was opened two years ago.
Uganda was the first opposition entertained at the venue by the Super Eagles -in a friendly match – days after Nigeria sealed a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations ticket in South Africa in November 2018. The match ended scoreless.
The Eagles have since lashed Seychelles 3-1 (2019 AFCON qualifier) and pipped seven-time African champions Egypt 1-0 (a friendly) at the same venue, as well as enacting a scoreless draw with Zimbabwe in a pre- 2019 AFCON friendly in June last year.
The statement also revealed the match would take place on the 27th of next month with the return leg likely to be played on the 31st of next month too.
The Super Eagles currently lead their group following wins against the Benin Republic and Lesotho in the opening two games. A win over Sierra Leone will edge the team closer towards qualification for the tournament which will be hosted by Cameroon.
