Zambia, Burkina Faso stumped over new Eagles
by George Akpayen 04 January 2013, 18:07
Two of Nigeria's Afcon group opponents have been left confused after the Super Eagles drew 1-1 with Catalonia in a friendly game on Wednesday.
One of Stephen Keshi's assistants, Valere Houandinou, has claimed that their Africa Cup of Nations group opponents, Burkina Faso and Zambia sent officials to spy on the Nigerian squad during the game against the Catalan XI.
According to Houandinou, the FA of the two nations sent coaches and journalists to monitor Nigeria's Super Eagles pull a 1-1 draw with Catalonia but instead were left confused.
Houandinou said the spies from the two nations were left stunned when they could hardly identify most of the players in Nigeria's starting line-up for the encounter.
“Some of the coaches and journalists, who came to spy on the team had to approach me, saying 'where are the big names that we are taking to the Nations Cup' and I told them that they are seeing them right there on the pitch,” said Houandinou, who has worked with Keshi as assistant during his tenure as head coach of Mali and Togo.
Houandinou added that the Super Eagles will stun the continent when the Afcon gets underway in South Africa from January 19.
Nigeria's Super Eagles continue their pre-Afcon programme with another warm-up game against another finalists, Cape Verde next week in Portugal.
Keshi's team are drawn in Afcon's Group C with Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and reigning African champions, Zambia.
