Desert Foxes of Algeria midfielder Ramiz Zerrouki has said they will not be focusing only on Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman alone because the Super Eagles have other quality players.
Osimhen and Lookman have each scored three goals in this year’s tournament in Morocco.
Apart from getting on the score sheet they have also provided assists with Lookman bagging four and Osimhen one.
Aside the duo, the Super Eagles have shown that other players can get among the goals with Raphael Onyedika netting two goals and Akor Adams and Wilfred Ndidi on a goal each.
Also Read: AFCON 2025: Onyeka Reveals Secret To Super Eagles Impressive Performance In Morocco
“It’s not only the two of them, all the Nigerian players have their quality, they are a very good team and we are going to prepare ourselves to face them and like I said it’s going to be a big game,” Zerrouki told journalists before Algeria’s training on Friday.
On if they are under pressure going into the clash with the Super Eagles who, just like Algeria, have won all their matches, Zerrouki stated:”Pressure is always a thing in a tournament when you have teams who performed well and they face each other and one has to go out.
“For us we are going to do everything and see how it goes.”
To get to the last eight, Algeria pipped DR Congo 1-0 after extra-time while the Super Eagles thrashed Mozambique 4-0.
By James Agberebi in Marrakech, Morocco
2 Comments
My advice to Chelle is find an alternative if Iwobi if marked out and isn’t able to be at his creative best. Algeria must’ve watched d game against DRC on how Iwobi was harrassed and hounded, he wasn’t given any time on d ball to thread passes. Morocco employed same tactics against Baleba today, he was completely neutralized today against Morocco. I think Chelle can use this to d team’s advantage where Iwobi might pull d opposition to him leaving space for Ndidi and Onyeka to be more creative. Iwobi can be used as a decoy leaving d creating to Ndidi, Ndidi just needs to move d ball quicker (thread passes to Akor, Lookman or Osihmen). I would also say, if for whatever reason Iwobi is marked out and contributing little like in d DRC game, an Onyedika or can be brought in to give Ndidi more freedom to create or have a like for like change with Bashiru for Iwobi and Onyedika for Ndidi for d 2nd half. Just my tot.
Reverse psychology. Simply put, since Osimhen quarreled that a pass was not made to him for a global bust-up, Nigeria will do everything to pass to him to keep him happy. That means, mark him out and other attackers will be scared to go forward instead
I hope Chelle solved that Tuesday madness because I know what “humiliated” players can do to a team.