Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr will announce his starting line-up in the coming hours for Friday night’s World Cup qualifier against Algeria in Constantine.
The German tactician will hold a team meeting with the Super players, where he will reveal his starting line-up and how he wants them to play against the North Africans.
If Rohr did not throw a smokescreen at the Super Eagles last two training sessions attended by Obi Mikel, then, the former Chelsea midfielder will start on the bench.
It is envisaged that Chelsea defender Ola Aina will be given his full Nigeria debut at Stade Mohamed-Hamlaoui, having won the battle for the position ahead of ADO Den Haag starlet Tyronne Ebuehi.
Rohr will play a different line-up after a string of injuries saw Victor Moses, Elderson Echiejile, Odion Ighalo, Moses Simon, Eddy Onazi and Mikel Agu pull out of the squad.
Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Ola Aina, Abdullahi Shehu, Leon Balogun, Troost-Ekong, John Ogu, Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo, Kelechi Iheanacho, Tony Nwakaeme and Alex Iwobi played for the possible starting XI, Team A, in the Super Eagles final workout on Thursday evening, just as was the case on Wednesday in Rabat.
Meanwhile, Ex-international Mutiu Adepoju has described the upcoming international friendly between Nigeria and La Abiceleste of Argentina as a good way of preparing the Super Eagles for the 2018 World Cup.
Adepoju said in an interview in Lagos that no matter the outcome of the prestige friendly emphasis should be on the positives outcome of the match.
“First on the friendly match, the match against Algeria and Argentina is a good way of preparing for the World Cup, because there won’t be enough matches for the team.
“And though the match against Algeria is one of the last qualifying game, we have already qualified, we can use it to prepare the team towards the World Cup.
“And the one against Argentina is a very great friendly game in which its first grade, which Nigeria, which will be very good for the preparation.
“No matter what happens in those matches, we should just try and get the positives from the matches.”
Similarly, Edema Fuludu, a former Super Eagles attacking midfielder, says the upcoming friendly is a dress rehearsal for the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Fuludu said that the match will test the resilience of the players
“You play Argentina, you are playing a team like Germany, you are playing a team like Brazil, you are playing such big team like Italy, so it’s good for us.
“Yes opposition cannot be stronger than Argentina; well task mentality, players’ resilience and a proper team formation because we qualified without losing a game.
“We were the first in Africa to have qualified with a game in hand. The Argentines they have met us a couple of times and we have lost to them.
“But we stood our ground well, however, we cannot afford to be losing consistently to them more so we may just meet again at the World Cup, so we must take the game very serious.
“The coach is also using such Grade A friendly to assess the quality of players’ he has so that he can know where and where to tinker properly.
“This kind of Grade A is what we need if we can play a few of them, it will give them the psychological boost that will prepare them in their mind specifically.”
NAN
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