Three-time winners Nigeria and seven-time champions Egypt will probably be at one another’s jugular on the Cairo Stadium on Tuesday night, in a pleasant match meant to organize each groups for his or her campaigns on the 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals kicking off in Morocco on Sunday.
Each groups could have the chance to check a clutch of newbies, with Nigeria supervisor Eric Sékou Chelle capable of area the likes of goalkeeper Amas Obasogie, defender Ryan Alebiosu, midfielders Usman Muhammed, Tochukwu Nnadi and Ebenezer Akinsanmiro, and forwards Paul Onuachu and Salim Fago Lawal, if he so wishes.
Pharaohs’ Coach Hossam Hassan, himself an AFCON legend, scored seven targets as Egypt received the 1998 version of the championship in Burkina Faso, ending as joint high scorer with South Africa’s Benni McCarthy, whose crew ended up with the silver medals.
Hassan will most likely weave his gameplan for the pleasant match and the AFCON event itself round Liverpool ace Mohamed Salah, who, regardless of a hefty trophy shelf, is searching for his first AFCON title.
There can even be Manchester Metropolis of England’s Omar Marmoush, Al Ahly’s Mohamed El-Shenawy, Mohamed Hany, Yasser Ibrahim, Emam Ashour and Mahmoud Trezeguet.
There are additionally CAF Champions League holders Pyramids’ Mohamed Hamdy and Mostafa Fathi, and UAE-based Ibrahim Adel, in addition to Mostafa Mohamed of FC Nantes in France.
Chelle is most definitely to set his retailer by goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, defenders Vibrant Osayi-Samuel, Semi Ajayi Calvin Bassey and Zaidu Sanusi, midfielders Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka and Alex Iwobi, and forwards Samuel Chukwueze, Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman.
The match will kick off at 8pm Egypt time (7pm Nigeria time). As of Monday afternoon, 17 of the 28 gamers in Nigeria’s remaining record have been in Cairo, with extra gamers anticipated to reach earlier than Monday night’s coaching session.
The Tremendous Eagles will depart Cairo for the Moroccan metropolis of Fés aboard a chartered flight on Thursday.
Nigeria’s marketing campaign for a fourth continental crown (following triumphs in 1980, 1994 and 2013), is already themed NAIJA 4 THE WIN, and rolls off the bottom on Tuesday, 23rd December with a conflict in opposition to Tanzania’s Taifa Stars, in a repeat of the opening match of the 1980 finals that Nigeria hosted and received.
The Eagles will then conflict with 2004 hosts and winners Tunisia on Saturday, 27th December, earlier than their remaining Group C encounter in opposition to Uganda’s Cranes on Tuesday, 30th December. All of Nigeria’s group part matches maintain on the Complexe Sportif de Fés.
The Pharaohs, who’re the one nation to have achieved three consecutive triumphs (2006-2010), have to barter issues with 1996 hosts and winners South Africa, in addition to Angola and Zimbabwe in Group B. Their matches will happen on the Stade d’Agadir within the metropolis of Agadir.
