Agencies
GLASGOW // Nigeria will warm up for the World Cup with a friendly against Scotland in May, the Scottish Football Association announced on Friday.
The friendly will take place in Craven Cottage, the home of Premier League side Fulham, on May 28. Scotland last met Nigeria at Pittodrie in 2002, when the Africans came from behind to win 2-1.
Gordon Strachan will look to guide Scotland to their sixth game without defeat when they face the Super Eagles. Strachan’s men are already on a high following Wednesday night’s 1-0 win against Poland in Warsaw.
The Scots are preparing for the Euro 2016 qualifiers, while Nigeria have qualified for their fifth World Cup finals.
“We considered a lot of options but the chance to play Nigeria, a country who will be going to the World Cup this summer, in London without the need for long-haul travel was the one that appealed most,” Strachan said.
“We will have time for some quality training sessions before the game and we will look to finish the season with a positive performance and result that we can take forward as we finalise preparations for the Euro 2016 qualifiers.
“I was encouraged yet again by a lot of what I saw in Warsaw and the players are now protective of the performances and results they have put together recently. We will look to continue that against Nigeria.”
The victory in Poland was the fourth game on the trot that Scotland have kept a clean sheet and follows away wins over Croatia, Macedonia and Norway. Scotland have been drawn against Germany, Republic of Ireland, Poland, Georgia and Gibraltar in Euro 2016 Group D.
Nigeria open their World Cup against Iran in Curitiba on June 16 before facing Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cuiaba on June 21 and Argentina in Porto Alegre on June 25.
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