The all-important 2017 Afcon qualifying game between Nigeria and Egypt will now be held on March 25 at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna.
There was a bit of furore about the date of the game that was to be played as the NFF earlier stated it had got approval to play the game on March 26, instead of March 23 as scheduled.
The Egypt FA, apparently not aware of it, said there has been no communication between it and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and has received no information from the Caf on the change of dates.
This decision to play the game on March 25 is consequent of a mail sent to the NFF asking Nigeria to make room for “a minimum of two full days of rest between the two matches.”
Caf also gave Nigeria the option of picking any day between March 23 and 26 for the clash in Nigeria and gave Egypt the option of picking between March 26 and 29 for the return leg.
NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, revealed that the country’s football governing body decided to move the game forward by 24 hours so as to have a two-day window to travel and rest for the return leg.
“We have now moved the match forward by 24 hours, so we will play on Friday, March 25 and Saturday, March 26 will serve as the day for the two teams to travel, while March 27 and 28 will be rest days before the return leg on Tuesday, March 29,” he said.
Egypt lead Group G of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with six points, two ahead of Nigeria.
Tanzania and Chad make up the rear. The group winner will pick up the sole ticket for a place at Gabon 2017.
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