AFCON Qualifiers: NFF summons technical Cmcrew after losing 4-goal lead to Sierra Leone

The Super Eagles technical crew were called to a meeting by the president of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, on Saturday morning following a 4-4 draw with West African neighbors Sierra Leone at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium on Friday night during the AFCON qualyfing fixture.

A brace from Alex Iwobi and goals from Samuel Chukwueze and Victor Osimhen had put Nigeria 4-0 up inside thirty minutes in what was a comfortable lead for the three-time African champions. However, Sierra Leone fought back from the dead to make it 4-4 before full-time, in a highly entertaining eight-goal thriller.

• AFCON 2021 Qualifiers: Nigeria squandered a 4 goal advantage against Sierra Leone; Other AFCON Qualifiers results

Super Eagles fans in Nigeria and around the world took to social media to vent their anger but Pinnick urged the team to shake off the disappointment and aim for revenge in Tuesday’s reverse fixture at the National Stadium in Freetown.

The NFF summoned a meeting with the team’s technical crew to discuss Friday’s disappointing result before the team departed Benin for Freetown.

“President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr Amaju Melvin Pinnick charged the players to put the disappointment behind them and be ready to give their all and redeem their image in Freetown on Tuesday,” the NFF said in a public statement after the meeting.

“NFF President Pinnick has also summoned a meeting with the technical crew of the team for Saturday morning.”

Nigeria, currently top of Group L with seven points from three games, and having won Bronze in the last edition in Egypt are targeting their 19th appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon 2022.

Team captain, Ahmed Musa, has also apologised on behalf of his teammates, promising to make amends in the reverse fixture on Tuesday.