WCQ: Troost-Ekong asks NFF to make Abuja stadium pitch flawless for football

Nigeria national team defender William Troost-Ekong has pleaded with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to make the pitch of the Moshood Abiola stadium in Abuja conducive for football.

The Super will host the Black Stars of Ghana in a World Cup play-off reverse fixture next month in the aforementioned venue.

Nigeria will square up against perennial rivals, Ghana in a two-legged to decide who picks one of the five tickets to represent Africa in Qatar later this year.

Although the team used the facility during their preparation for the AFCON, this crop of players have not played a competitive football match in the stadium, as most of their games have been at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba, Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin and only recently, the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.

“We loved the pitch of the stadium in Garoua and it helped us play some good football,” Ekong said.

“We would be delighted if the Abuja Stadium is in similar condition for the second leg,” he added.

Troost-Ekong asked for the pitch to be in ‘pristine condition’ for the return leg encounter, saying the Garoua pitch where they played all their AFCON games made it easy for them to play good football.