Rivers State Governor, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has expressed satisfaction with the facilities at the Adokiye Amiesieamaka stadium, venue of the match to be played between the Nigierian U23 team and Congo.
He also promised the players and officials that his government will do everything to see that the team is comfortable.
Subsequently, Wike has promised players of the U-23 National Team the sum of $100,000 if they are able to defeat the Congolese by three unreplied goals in Sunday’s African U-23 Championship final round, first leg qualifier.
The governor made this promise when he led some members of the State’s executive council to pay the team a morale -boosting visit, explaining that the sum of $30,000 would be paid for every goal.
Assuring the players of total support by the Government and people of Rivers, Governor Wike encouraged the team not to play under pressure.
“I am sure if you win on Sunday, the President of the Federal Republic (President Muhammadu Buhari), as well as the generality of Nigerians will be happy with you.
“The Government of Rivers State is hosting this game to tell the Nigeria Football Federation and the entire world that we have a great edifice like this in this State, so that they can bring more matches of the National Teams to Rivers State.”
“We will give $30,000 if they score one goal and we will give $100,000 if they score three goals”.
Responding, the Head Coach Samson Siasia assured the governor that Congo will definitely fall on Sunday, and also expressed satisfaction with the hospitality accorded the team since it arrived in Port Harcourt almost two weeks ago.
“We indeed appreciate Your Excellency, and we assure Nigerians that if the boys play to instructions on Sunday, there will be nothing to fear. We will score enough goals to make the second leg a formality,” Siasia replied.
The match is expected to kick off at 4pm but fans have been asked to start arriving by 11am with the gates thrown open.
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