Nigerian politician stacks the stadium for NZ game

A Nigerian politician has bought 40,000 seats for the New Zealand versus Nigeria under-17 soccer match tomorrow (NZ time) so that the 60,000-seat Abuja National Stadium doesn't look too empty.

It's not that tournament surprise package New Zealand lacked drawing power, poor crowds have beset the tournament, to the concern of international soccer body Fifa.

Nigerian soccer fans disillusioned with the poor form of the national side, have taken to booing the side New Zealand will play in a final 16 match.

New Zealand won through the group stage when they had successive 1-1 draws against Costa Rica, Burkina Faso and Turkey.

It was the first time a New Zealand team have advanced past the first round at a Fifa tournament.

Nigeria drew 3-3 with Germany and beat Honduras and Argentina to top their group.

Federal Capital Territory minister Adamu Alero bought 40,000 tickets for the New Zealand game, Abuja committee chairman Taiwo Ogunjobi told the BBC.

"We have been distributing these tickets at strategic places in the federal capital to attract an appreciable crowd."

After a near sell-out at the provincial group games in Enugu, Kano, Bauchi and Calabar, matches in Abuja and Kaduna have all been played in stadiums nowhere near capacity.

The large turnouts in other centres have been attributed to governors of these states buying thousand of tickets and distributing them to school children and civil servants.

Nigerian coach John Obuh is reported to have urged Abuja not to boo his players.

"I have been working on these boys to make them beat New Zealand," he told the Vanguard newspaper.

Speaking with the players after training at the Abuja stadium, he said: "I must beg because I need the victory, please beat New Zealand to move on to the quarterfinals".