'It's important we have security and escorts to move around' - Gernot Rohr raises concerns ahead of Super Eagles match in Lagos for the first time in ten years

 

Nigeria national team coach, Gernot Rohr has confirmed that Nigeria will take on Lesotho in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, in Lagos State next month.

According to Rohr, it will be an opportunity for players like Joe Aribo and Leon Balogun who were not born in Nigeria to get to know Lagos but the team will need to be provided with top notch security for proceedings to run smoothly.

The three-time African champions will play Lesotho on March 30 after their encounter against the Republic of Benin three days earlier.

This will be the first time the Super Eagles will play in Lagos after almost 10 years although the Covid-19 pandemic means the stadium will be an empty one.

“Yes, it's official. We will play in Lagos against Lesotho on March 30, for the sixth and final day of qualifying for the next Afcon,” Rohr told Europe1, as per Football 365.

“It will probably be in an empty stadium. Teams are working on the lawn. I inspected it all. The traffic in Lagos is terrible, but we are promised an escort between our hotel and the stadium, or even to close the road to allow us to avoid traffic jams.

"The other day, I took an hour to make the trip. It's a bit much before a game.

“The idea of ??playing in Lagos is good for the players. Some do not know this city at all, this is the case of Leon Balogun, Aribo or others, who were born in Europe.

 

“They will discover this crazy city, with 19 million inhabitants. It is important that we have security, escorts to move around and a good lawn to play. We are working on all these aspects.

“We know that a lot of work is done, that the lawn is watered every day and that machines have been ordered to mow the grass well.

 

“As for hotels, there is no problem, there are a lot of them in Lagos. We will have the "fitness"

at the hotel, which we did not have on the previous day in Benin City.

“We will be very close to Benin. We risk making the trip to Cotonou, where we play our match of the 5th day on March 27, by boat, because the road is not good and the crossing only lasts two hours.”

Nigeria still lead Group L of the AFCON qualifying table with eight points and need a win in either of their games in March to seal a place in the continental showpiece.