President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday

President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday paid a surprise visit to the Super Eagles during the team’s training session at the Addis Ababa Stadium, venue of their 2014 World Cup qualifier against Ethiopia on Sunday.

The President was attending the Golden Jubilee meeting of the African Union in Addis Ababa, but made out time to visit and cheer the Eagles ahead of their crucial match against the Walya Antelopes.

Accompanied by the Nigerian envoy in Ethiopia and other aides including Presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, Jonathan, who was received by the Nigerian Football Federation President, Aminu Maiagari, said he came to reassure the players and officials of his support for the national team.

 “I am sure that you will not only qualify for the World Cup but we are going there not to add up the numbers but to make an impact at the championship,” Jonathan  said.

Maigari assured the President that the team would not let the nation down. Team captain, Vincent Enyeama, said the visit of the President could not have come at a better time and promised that the players would show that they appreciate his concern for the welfare of the team with a good outing on Sunday.

Meanwhile, thousands of Ethiopian fans cheered the Nigerian side during their training session on Saturday with Chelsea’s Mikel Obi and Liverpool’s Victor Moses receiving the most attention.

Head Coach Stephen Keshi pleaded with the Ethiopian football authorities to water the pitch for Sunday’s match, in order to make the playing surface soft, saying it was too hard for good football to be played on it.

“We are pleading for the pitch to be watered so as to save our players from injuries and for the fans to watch good football,” Keshi, who scored twice against the North-East Africans in 1982, in both countries first meeting, said after the training session.