With the arrival of defender Ebube Duru and goalkeeper Francis Uzoho on Wednesday afternoon, the Super Eagles’ camp at the Marriott Constantine reached 100%.
Rivers United’s left-back Duru was called up after several players, including defender Leon Balogun, sustained injuries. He joined the team on Wednesday after arriving back from Liberia, where the Pride of Rivers advanced to the penultimate round of the group stage of this year’s CAF Champions League.
The other players who were injured were Henry Onyekuru, Samuel Chukwueze, and team captain Ahmed Musa, all of whom were forwards.
Head Coach José Santos Peseiro has approved that the three-time African champions have a training game against Algeria’s ‘B’ squad on Saturday in order to see a number of new and returning players in action, ahead of the official game against the Fennecs (Algeria’s ‘A’ team) in Oran on Tuesday evening.
The match against Algeria’s ‘B’ squad will start at 5.30pm on Saturday while the official game on Tuesday will commence at 8pm.
Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, defender Kevin Akpoguma, midfielder Wilfred Ndidi and forward Chidera Ejuke are returning to the squad after some period out, while midfielder Richard Onyedika and forward Godwin Saviour are joining up with the big boys for the first time.
Israel –based goalkeeper Adeleye Adebayo was in the squad for summer’s AFCON qualifying matches against Sierra Leone and Sao Tome and Principe but did not see action.
Tuesday’s clash will be only the second-ever friendly match between the Fennecs and the Super Eagles, with the two-time African champions edging a clash in Austria in October 2020 by the odd goal.
When both teams clashed in a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Oran in September 2005, the Super Eagles ran out 5-2 winners.
