The Super Eagles will have a ‘training game’ against Algeria’s home-based team before the official friendly with the Fennecs next Tuesday, the Nigeria Football Federation has confirmed.
Algeria will host the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in 2023 and had scheduled a friendly between their home-based squad and their Nigerian counterparts for Saturday.
However, since the Super Eagles B, the CHAN squad, is unavailable, the main Super Eagles will now play both Algeria’s home-based team and the main team in two games, with the first labelled a ‘training game’, which suggests it is not an official friendly.
“Super Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro approved the training game against Algeria’s ‘B’ squad on Saturday in order to see a number of new and returning players in action, ahead of the official game against the Fennecs (Algeria’s ‘A’ team) in Oran on Tuesday evening,” the NFF explained in a press release today.
Meanwhile, the Super Eagles camp at the Marriott in Constantine became a full house today with the arrival of Omonia Nicosia goalkeeper Francis Uzoho and Rivers United defender Ebube Duru.
Duru was called up following injuries to a number of players including defender Leon Balogun, and joined the squad today after returning from Liberia where Rivers United played Watanga in a CAF Champions League qualifying clash.
The match against Algeria’s ‘B’ squad will start at 5.30pm on Saturday while the official game on Tuesday will kick off at 8pm.
Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, defender Kevin Akpoguma, midfielder Wilfred Ndidi and forward Chidera Ejuke are returning to the squad after some time out, while midfielder Raphael Onyedika and forward Godwin Saviour are in line for their Super Eagles debuts.
The arrivals of Uzoho and Duru brought the number of players in camp to 24, with Emmanuel Dennis, who was a late call-up, having withdrawn through injury.
Tuesday’s clash will be only the second-ever official friendly match between the Fennecs and the Super Eagles, with the North Africans winning the first one 1-0 in Austria in October 2020.
When both teams clashed in a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Oran in September 2005, the Super Eagles won 5-2.
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