1st June, 2010
English Premier League side, West Ham United Football Club and Bundesliga of Germany club, Hannover 96 will storm Lagos for the pre-season invitational match billed for 8 August, 2010 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria.
P.M.Sports gathered that the clubs’ tour of Nigeria is to appreciate their supporters in the country and to woo more fans, especially now that moves are on to have Nigeria’s Yakubu Aiyegbeni in their squad for next season.
The pre-season match tagged ‘’The Hope Cupâ€Â will be preceded by a friendly clash between the Lagos State U-17 team and Kwara United Football Club Feeders team.
Organisers of the event told our reporter that arrangement has been concluded to bring the two foreign clubs to Nigeria for a pre-season match.
It was gathered that incentives would be given to the fans that turn out for the match. There will be a raffle draw that will see two fans watching West Ham United play at their ground, Upton Park Stadium in London, while three others will take home a 28 ‘’LCD TV, with 10 winners attending the state dinner and gala night organised for the visiting teams and their officials,” the organisers said.
The match will not only showcase the tourism potentials of Lagos but will also show the world the passion Nigerians have for the round leather game, the organisers said.
—Wale Joseph