The last pre-2013 Africa Cup of Nations friendly match of Nigeria’s Super Eagles will be played behind closed doors, it has been revealed.

The match against Dutch club FC Rotterdam billed for tomorrow in Faro, Portugal, will be closed to the public, according to officials of the Nigeria Football Federation.
“The Eagles game against Rotterdam is behind closed door so there is no way Nigerians may be able to watch the game and after that game we head to South Africa later,” an official disclosed.
It is not clear if the criticisms that trailed the Eagles’ goalless draw in Portugal against Nations Cup debutants the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde influenced the decision not to open tomorrow’s match to the public.

In their first warm-up match on Jan. 2, a Super Eagles team dominated by local players bravely battled to a one-all draw against a Catalonian Selected Side that featured 10 stars of Barcelona in an international friendly in Spain.

However, last Wednesday night, Jan. 9, Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, decided to field what is assumed to be his first team against giant killers but Nations Cup debutants Cape Verde in another pre-tournament friendly, this time in Portugal. Unlike what obtained in Spain, the Eagles big boys fired blank to end it goalless. Keshi named his 23-man squad after the match, including six local players.

The Eagles will depart Portugal on January 16 and arrive South Africa the following day.
The Nigerians are open their Group C campaign on January 21 against Burkina Faso.
Defending champions Zambia and Ethiopia are the other teams in their first round group.

•Photo: The Super Eagles.