The dramatic outcome of Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match between Sierra Leone and Nigeria, was nearly overshadowed by the reactions trailing the state of the playing surface of the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium.

Despite the exciting 3-2 result, the conditions of the synthetic pitch was deplorable and a major risk for the players, an argument former Super Eagles players Emmanuel Emenike and Ifeanyi Udeze.

Emenike and Udeze shared their thoughts on Brila FM’s Breakfast Show, “No Holds Barred”, a day after the Super Eagles clinched a spot at next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Udeze lamented the quality of the surface and blamed the Confederation of African Football (CAF), for approving the Stadium for a competitive international game.

“If I was a Player in the Super Eagles team yesterday , I won’t play on that pitch,” the former LB said.

“I’d just feign injury because that pitch was terrible. The Players need be commended for putting their bodies on the line like that; you’re just one wrong step away from a bad injury on that carpet.”

Meanwhile, Emenike who won the AFCON with Nigeria in 2013 described the Samuel Kanyon Doe pitch as a disaster waiting to happen.

He criticized the decision to allow Professional footballers play on a poor artificial turf and in an African game, highlighting the risk it posed to their bodies.

“That pitch is bad for the back and knee. Particularly for footballer who play mostly on natural grass across Europe.”

Two Nigerian players, Joe Aribo and Victor Osimhen were among the casualties from the game owing to the hard playing surface.