Reigning African champions Algeria have replaced Cote d’Ivoire as the opponents of the Super Eagles in the first of two international friendly matches arranged by the Nigeria Football Federation to be played in Austria in October, Completesports.com reports.
The NFF disclosed this in a statement published on their website on Friday.
Tunisia, rated number two in Africa and 26th in the world, will be the Super Eagles’ second opponents at the Jacques Lemans Arena on 13th October.
The matches fall within the FIFA window for international matches and have been approved by world football –governing body, FIFA and CAF.
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The Federation Ivorienne de Football, on 22nd September sent to the NFF a letter regretting their inability to send a team to Austria for the game as earlier agreed, citing “internal problems.”
However, Algeria immediately accepted to face the Super Eagles on 9th October at the Jacques Lemans Arena.
This followed a phone call from President of the NFF, Amaju Melvin Pinnick to his Algerian opposite number, Kheireddine Zetchi.
“We have permission from our government to travel from Algeria to Austria and our country has reopened international flights. We also would like to confirm that FIFA match agent Me Jairo Pachon is authorised to carry on all the required work and planning in Austria in order to stage this event,” wrote Mohamed Saad, General Secretary of the Federation Algerienne de Football.
The clash in Austria next month would be the fourth between the Super Eagles and the Fennecs in three years.
Both teams were in the same qualifying pool for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, with the Eagles trouncing the Fennecs 3-1 in Uyo before a 1-1 draw in Constantine that mattered little as Nigeria already booked a ticket to Russia before that final-day encounter.
The two teams were again squared off in the semi final of last year’s African Cup of Nations in Egypt, with the North Africans edging it 2-1 from a free-kick just outside the box at the death by Riyad Mahrez.
They went on to defeat Senegal 1-0 in the final to clinch their second continental title.
On Friday, the NFF commended the Embassy of Austria in Nigeria for the dispatch with which the embassy attended to technical and backroom staff of the Super Eagles who are heading to Austria for the two games. All the officials have been issued their visas to travel.
Midfielder Oghenekaro Etebo, who has only recently arrived in Turkey from Spain to join top club Galatasaray, has already been issued his visa to enter Austria.
By James Agberebi
COMMENTS
I thinking Algeria will give us a better match that Ivory coast, who seem quite disoriented at the moment.
Good one.algeria is a better opponent by the way.
It’s better to flee than to be embarrassed. Cote d’evoir pick race when they saw the power House of Nigerian players.
Algeria is better.
Lolz… Na proper pick race. Dem know say they go hear am. Algeria go provide proper test. Me too prefer Algeria.. Comot Road, Super Eagles dey come…
I don’t think so bro, i guess they are yet to get over the internal wrangling and politics around the Ivorian FA borne out of events before and after the supposed disqualification of Didier Drogba from contesting for the FA president
NFF,thank u for immediate replacement. You people have done great job. Keep it up
This is good to hear from NFF. However, I hope you are planning the same thing (i.e Friendly Matches with other countries) for the age-group team starting from the U13 to U23. We want to know of their progression. We want the friendly matches to be arranged and the outstanding players identified. It is not only when they have competitions that camp training should be organized. We need to know the names of the outstanding players among them that is why the federation must have a data base to keep records of these players especially the outstanding ones among them. We want you the NFF to always keep to your words especially statements made to the public. Mr. President always keep to your promises.
REPLY
“However, Algeria immediately accepted to face the Super Eagles on 9th October at the Jacques Lemans Arena”.
I remember those days when getting friendly games with big teams was a problem for us. Not anymore! They are even ready to accept us AT SHORT NOTICE.
Not anymore o. Not anymore. We are a force to reckon with.
This show that someone somewhere is doing something right
Hahhhahhaaaa…Thank you Algeria. We’ve been waiting for such a moment as this since that horrendous match we had with you guys at AFCON 2019. Now we’re fully set for a revenge to heal the wound they’ve caused we the fans at least. Nothing short of 3-0 spanking will do please SE.
Coach Gernot Rohr should field the best XI please. Chukwueze shouldn’t start this time, they really tamed him at AFCON. I’ll suggest he starts Pacy Musa/Simon and Ejuke(Newbie that they don’t know yet) or Kalu(they were not able to taste his trickery last time) on the wings. Then introduce Chukwueze when they are getting tired obviously like last time to wrath damage on them instead of the Yeye Onyekuru that came on last time and couldn’t dribble/run past an ant. They also have OSHIMEN to battle with this time not Ighalo that wasted a clear chance that would have put the game to bed by simply squaring it to Musa last time. We’re in great shape men..Bring it on!
My Preferred 11 against Algeria
Alampasu (GK)
Aina
Ajayi
Balogun
Zaidu Sanusi
F.Onyeka
Etebo
Iwobi
Musa
Kalu
Oshimen
Chairmanfemi no go kill person. ‘Onyekuru who could not dribble an ant’. Na true sha, like you said, the Algerians neutralised Chukwueze’s threat but I think that was partly because he held on to the ball too long for them to gang up on him. This match should be interesting.
On this one….I have to commend the NFF and their match agent Mr Pachon.
Really interesting that teams are willing to play us now even at the shortest notice. We definitely have taken back our respectful place in global football…more to come by God’s grace. 2021 & 2022 on my mind. Lets hope we don’t shoot ourselves in the foot before then.
Ivory coast to play Belgium on the 9th.Bigger Fish? I guess
It’s quite unfortunate that Cote Dé Ivoire pulled out. Agreed that the Algerian team might be a stronger opposition due to their tactical discipline, solidity and technical depth of their players, but I believe the Ivorian team would have suited us more considering the teams we’ll be playing during the AFCON and World Cup Qualifiers. We’ll be squaring out against the strength, stamina, speed, endurance, skills and raw power of West, Central and Southern African teams. These are teams that the likes of Iwobi, Aribo, Ebuehi, Aina, Balogun and most likely Cyril Dessers could struggle against. The Ivorian team would have provided us better preparation for such teams.
But then, we’re still thankful that we got a quality opposition after the disappointment of the Ivorians.
I do share your sentiments @ Aleks.
However, we are playing 2 semifinalists of the last Afcon, the current AFCON defending champions (who have shown their win was not a fluke) and the no 2 and 4 ranked teams in Africa. They dont come any stronger my brother.
These are the games we should be using to prepare to win the next AFCON, rather than preparing for qualifiers. Rohr has made us forget those days when we weren’t sure of beating the likes of Sierra Leone or Swaziland or Congo. With a 4 point lead already in out AFCON group, I am personally looking beyond this qualifiers. We just need to keep this boat steady and we are already in Cameroon, what we need to test now is if the boat can withstand the fury and storms of the big seas.
@Dr. Drey
u are right….
We are already in cameroun….
We need to start playing against top teams in africa….
Guys u see the problem with africans,civ dumped Nigeria because Belgium came calling but European team can never do that but it’s ok,
@KK,
I am sure something went wrong or happened behind the scene that we on the outside are not privy to. Pretty sure everything would be brought to the fore soonest. According to the story on scorenigeria website(unverified), it seems New Zealand pulled out of a friendly with Belgium and they probably hurriedly financially induced Cote d’ivoire to step in. These are my assumptions anyway, it’s not the authoritative truth.
https://scorenigeria.com.ng/revealed-cote-divoire-dump-super-eagles-so-as-to-play-belgium/
@Femi, if those reports are true then there ought to be some legal ramifications. You shouldn’t be able to just pull out of a commitment without any consequences. If not then we need to question our method of organizing these friendlies
@Dr. Drey
u are right….
We are already in cameroun….
We need to start playing against top teams in africa….
The Nigerian football federation did well for immediately replace Ivory coast for the friendly match.