Spartak Moscow midfielder, Sylvanus Nimely is one of the players Liberia will rely on to wreak havoc on Nigeria’s Super Eagles when both teams clash in an international friendly on Tuesday.
Ahead of the match between Nigeria and Liberia in Monrovia, Nimely will first line out for the Lone Star in this weekend’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Democratic Republic of Congo.
Nigeria have met Liberia on 13 occasions in the past, with the Super Eagles winning eight games, drawing two and losing three times.
Nigeria and Liberia last clashed on August 19, 2012, during qualifiers for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa, which the Super Eagles went on to win.
Dramatically, a friendly between both nations preceded that match, in February 2012, as Nigeria defeated Liberia 2-0 at Antoinette Tubman Stadium in Monrovia.
For that game, both teams featured players from their home leagues, and Sunday Mba got both goals that saw the Eagles outshine the Lone Star in front of their then president, Mrs Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, to commemorate her swearing in for a second term in office.
Mba’s first goal was in the ninth minute, from a Reuben Gabriel pass, to silence the 18,000-seater stadium, before the second on 30 minutes from an assist by Ejike Uzoenyi.
In July 200, the Liberians beat the Eagles 2-1 before a sparse crowd that had turned out at Monrovia’s Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex.
Many Liberians had thought their national side would crumble against the like of Nwanko Kanu, Sunday Oliseh and Austin Okocha, but the Lone Star started like a house on fire and hit the back of the visitors’ net as early as the 4th minute.
In the latest FIFA Ranking, Liberia are ranked 158th in the world and Nigeria 48th, such that all odds would favour Nigeria to carry the day again on Tuesday.
The Super Eagles are expected to depart directly from Seychelles to Liberia on Sunday for Tuesday’s match, after which the players will spend a night in Monrovia then return to their respective clubs.
Whilst Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr has 20 foreign-based professionals for the friendly, after Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Seychelles, Liberia’s coach, Thomas Kojo has called up 13 to battle DR Congo.
The Liberian foreign legion that will also host Nigeria, with high hope of victory in front of their president, George Weah, on Tuesday includes Mallorca of Spain goalkeeper, Boison Wynney and Nimely.
