Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho and Al Nassr forward Ahmed Musa will be leading the Super Eagles attack when Nigeria take on the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia in the second of their October friendlies today at the Jacques Lemans Arena in Sankt Veit an der Glan, Austria.
Nigeria coach, Gernot Rohr, is set to field the experienced duo as he hopes to record his first win of the year with the Eagles after losing 1-0 against Algeria in the first of the Super Eagles’ two October friendlies last Friday.
Iheanacho and Musa started from the bench in the loss to Algeria with the Leicester forward coming on for Paul Onuachu in the 67th minute while the Eagles captain replaced Samuel Chukwueze in the 75th minute of the encounter.
The Eagles put up a lackluster performance against the African champions last weekend with Onuachu struggling to hold his own as the team’s arrowhead.
Iheanacho and Musa will have to prove they still have what it takes to lead the Eagles attack as Nigeria look to record back-to-back wins against Tunisia whom they defeated 1-0 in the Third/Fourth Place match of the 2019 AFCON in Egypt.
Also Read: INTERVIEW – Dosu: Why It Won’t Matter Much If Eagles Beat Tunisia 10-0 In Austria Friendly
Also set to return to the Eagles starting line-up against Tunisia is Leganes defender, Kenneth Omeruo.
Remarkably, the trio of Iheanacho, Musa and Omeruo recently staged a return to the Eagles squad as they were not part of the squad that played a 2-2 and 1-1 draws against Ukraine and Brazil in the international friendlies in September and October last year.
Iheanacho was not listed for the games due to poor form, while Musa and Omeruo were ruled out because of injuries.
Musa and Omeruo featured as the Eagles beat Tunisia to the AFCON bronze last year courtesy of Odion Ighalo’s 3rd minute goal while Iheanacho was left out of the AFCON squad.
The Eagles last winning outing was in the 4-2 away win against Lesotho in an AFCON qualifier played in November last year.
By Sulaiman Alao
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COMMENTS
Where is the team line up and time of the match? Will it be on TV as well? Please anybody with useful information regarding the questions I asked should kindly help us out pleassssseee.
Yeah, Supersports will televising the game at 7:30 pm.
@Ralph If you Type Nigeria vs Tunisia on Youtube.
a list of results will appear, Scroll down click all the Nigeria vs Tunisia links with “LIVE NOW” underneath them until you find the game, you shouldn’t have to scroll down much commentary will be in Arabic or French. That is how I watched the Nigeria vs Algeria game.
I hope this helps
You the best
Again Rohr is proving poor in his decision making. What will Musa do??? Let us watch and see? ..My honest opinion will be NOTHING!!. I will get attacked now but after the game my voice will be heard like Friday. Make we dey here dey watch.
I will have Musa as long as Chukwueze is not made a scape goat.
This is what I expect of Rohr from what we have:
He MUST Start Chukwueze, Bring Awaziem and Ola Aina back in that Line up. Iheanacho must start as link up between Dessers and Midfield Iwobi pushed to left and keep Ajayi in Holding role.
Personally Ejuke should be Given the nod ahead of Ahmed Musa. In my honest opinion Musa will just cause headache and annoyance for me. I hope I am wrong. Let us watch and see.
Good luck boys!! please no more disappointments.
#EndMusa In my opinion Musa is due for retirement. Why not trust Ejuke the boy is good. The coach should learn to give these young ones much confidence in the team. In football “if you are good enough you are old enough” e. G. Ansu Fati of Spain. We have so many young emerging pool of wingers that are better than Musa. In defense pls pair Omerue with Balogun
OK coach! I forgot that you trained with them. We’ll wait with you to see
Now I know CS takes report from owngoalnigeria. This report has been on owngoalnigeria since yesterday. It has always been the same.
…These shows that Gernot Rohr is just being desperate for a win. Why not start Dessers today and allow us to see him? Now he is starting Iheanacho who will already know according to this report… again why not let us see Ejuke from the beginning in real match situation… thats how you begin to know your team and prune it down to avoid further loading of future invites… let us See Ejuke today and Dessers please Mr. Rohr… dont come and be giving anybody 2-3 minutes to the end of game! I would also suggest Gernot Rohr be bold to field Tijani Samson from beginning… these are just my own thoughts! Folks… kindly beam on Iheanacho’s waistline if he gets to start… I do not know if my eyes were playing tricks on me the last time he came on! May God give us a good game free of injuries to both team and may Covid – 19 not be any of the players’ fate afterwards…
Very correct jimmy. Why invite all this attackers and not play them. It just shows his worried about the backlash he will get if he loses this game
@JimmyBall, I think Rohr is just trying to manage expectations by starting the few experienced legs he has in camp. Perhaps after a comfortable lead like 2-0, he’ll introduce the untested ones. I however think he’ll start some of the new faces like Ejuke today (especially as Kalu is out).
If Rohr starts with 70% greenhorns and match-rusty players like he did in the Algeria game and Nigeria goes a goal behind, all of you guys will start screaming “crucify him. crucify him.” So he has to be careful. Secure the game first before bringing in Dessers and co.
But I do agree with you on Iheanacho. It was the same with Onazi back them, soon after which he lost his SE place. That’s why I love Mikel. He’s always takes his fitness seriously. Dude is always in shape, not allowing wifey or girlfriend to overfeed him with akpu and of egusi lol.
On serious note, my personal assessment is that for CF the role (not wingers) Rohr should zoom in on Osimhen, Lookman, Simy, Maja, Dennis, Sadiq and maybe Olayinka (he shows flashes of high work rate sometimes) only. My confidence in Iheanacho has dwindled since a long time ago. He, Onuachu etc should be fringe. Iheanacho seems the type that’s not serious and likes to roll with all these entertainers too much.
… @Kel. You have spoken like an elder, this should be how we address each other with love and respect. I enjoy your comments each time. However, I feel Musa has never been a centre forward for us and Iheanacho functions better as a support striker… so who will be our arrow head today? Since a mention of Onuachu today again will surely attract death threats to me from fellow forumites… lol, I won’t mention him, that leaves Dessers who I believe we should allow to start and if he does not click we can haul him off as early as 55minutes (10 minutes) into the second half… My humble opinion though!
I thought I was the only one to see his bulky tommy, that guy to me not taking his profession seriously.
@Ugo Iwunze and @Tega thanx my brodas, the information you guys provided are quite handy and I believe it will help not only me, but others in the forum as well that’s looking for such info. I believe the Eagles will put up a better performance today, I equally believe the lost was a wake up call. We didn’t see more of their photoshoots this few days, to tell U, edon red for camp !! I also believe any player handed over the opportunity to play in the match today should justify his inclusion in the Squad, cos they have received enough stick from all lovers of the game. All the best our darling Super Eagles.
@christian ministry that’s a lie. CS is current than owngoal. Owngoal will keep one news for 3 days while CS updates almost every 10 minutes.
Abi o, it might even take them 3 weeks to even have a report, thats if funds are released by Dr Drey.
@kenneth Lolz Na de same thing I dey reason oooo
That a player is talented and lucky enough to go spotted early in his career and has been consistent at that level doesn’t mean fans should abuse them or hurry them into early retirement…please please biko nu nu leave our captain alone he’s just 26+ or thereabouts…fans should please learn to respect and appreciate the services of these guys…come to think of it many guys castigating Musa will rather join the currupt bandwagon than render meritorious and honourable service to this nation like these players….
#RespectOurLegends# #LiveMusaAlone
Not much is expected from this match as well. Musa has not played for his club side in while, in his cameo appearance against Algeria he can’t even cross or dribble pass a player I wonder how much he’ll be hated after this match. And in the midfield so far I have not seen a single player that has impress me so far I’m not sure it they’ll fair better against the Carthege. Its sad that Ramon Azeez was overlooked.
@Abu I thank you for your comment on Musa. and let me use this opportunity to clear people impression that I hate Musa.
@Cuteprince I do not hate Musa I just feel that his constant inclusion in the team is depriving other talented wingers we have from showcasing them self on the big stage. is all I am saying. Must we keep flogging a horse that is not moving??? Super Eagles is a National team of the Giant of Africa as we Nigerians claim so, if that is really the case how do we justify Musa’s inclusion? some will say because he did well in World cup 2014 and Scored two goals against Iceland in world cup 2018, Lowly Iceland might I add. SO what?? in that case then Drop Omeruo Balogun and Co. and bring Back Yobo and Uche Okechukwu, abeg guys enough is enough. Musa is proving Surplus to requirements at Club level and Definitely on the national stage. Brutal truth.
I will never deny his performance against Argentina but if we are honest to ourselves that’s the best he has ever delivered in an SE shirt til date. In fact he has depreciated since then until his 2 goals against Iceland. even after his 2 goals against Barcelona on his Leicester City debut what did he achieve. getting relegated to Leicester City under 23. That in its self Sums up Ahmed Musa career.
Even World cup 2014 in Brazil be honest with yourself my dear Forum mates, what did Musa achieve After the 2 goals against Argentina??… This is the Same 2 goals that make many Die hard Musa fans feel that Super Eagles is Musa’s birth right.
Guys please stop this!. Musa is not bigger than our Darling Super Eagles.
Enough is enough Musa is not delivering so DROP HIM. it is long over due. IT IS NOT BY FORCE!
My happiness is in today’s match that the team seems to Play my best formation for this current Super Eagles which 4141.
That’s a massive attacking formation in my opinion and that shows that the gaffer is indeed reading our comments especially from progressive patriots here.
If the coach goes on to try the formation I’m sure that victory is ours today.
When all regulars returned my preferred starting line up is:
Okoye
Ebuehi. Ekong. Balogun. Zaidu
Ndidi
Chukwueze. Ejaria./Aribo Iwobi. Ejuke / lookman
Osihme
With this squad I will say bring on Algeria!!!