The Super Eagles will leave the Moroccan city of Fes on Thursday and relocate to Marrakech, where they will play their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations’ quarter-final fixture versus Algeria on Saturday.
Sports247 reports that the game, which is scheduled to begin at 5pm Nigeria time, comes in place of a much-anticipated rematch of the Eagles’ ill-fated final at the World Cup qualification play-off in November.
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Nigeria lost that game to DR Congo on penalties, and many observers were already expecting a dicey rematch on Saturday (had The Leopards defeated Algeria in their round of 16 clash on Tuesday).
However, a late goal in the second half of extra time in their tight face-off saw Algeria pull through by the whiskers and set up another rematch of sort versus Nigeria this Saturday in The Brown City.
The fixture brings back memories of two clashes between both teams at AFCON 1990 in Algeria, in which the hosts won the opening game 5-1 and took the final 1-0 against the Nigerians.
Algeria also defeated Nigeria 2-1 in the semi-finals of AFCON 2019, courtesy a late penalty by Riyard Mahrez, but the Eagles won a long shoot-out between both teams at the same stage in 1988.
History of terse encounters between both sides now provides numerous talking points towards Saturday’s clash, ahead of which Nigerian football fans would be happy to hear that peace is reigning in the Eagles’ camp.
That is in contrast with tension that arose following what looked like an on-field feud between Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, as they exchanged heated words during Nigeria’s 4-0 victory over Mozambique on Monday.
In the same vein, scorer of Nigeria’s last goal in that game, Akor Adams is back in camp after taking permission to visit his ill mother, who is in a Moroccan hospital, and returned in time to be part of evening training on Tuesday.
A statement by the information department of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) revealed: “All the 26 available players were involved in Tuesday evening’s session at the Sardienne Complex.
“The three-time champions will on Thursday move to the city of Marrakech, where they will play Saturday’s quarter-final duel scheduled to kick off at 5pm.”
The statement also noted: “Osimhen netted a brace to move to 34 goals in 50 matches for Nigeria – only three less than the record of 37 goals by ‘Goalsfather’ Rashidi Yekini (of blessed memory).”
