A cross-section of the Nigerian players declared that they are determined to extend an unbeaten streak of five matches when they confront The Indomitable Lions at Stadion Wiener Neustadt in the Austrian capital on Friday evening, megasportsarena.com reports.
The three-time African champions have not lost a match since they were edged by the odd goal by Algeria in an international friendly also in Austria in October 2020, after which they drew 1-1 with Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles in a friendly match.
They have also drawn 4-4 and 0-0 with Sierra Leone in back-to-back 2021 AFCON qualifying matches in November 2020; defeated Benin Republic 1-0 in Porto Novo in another 2021 AFCON qualifier and; walloped Lesotho 3-0 in the finale to the 2021 AFCON qualifying race in Lagos.
Former Olympic Eagles’ towering defender, Anthony Izuchukwu, who plays for Sparta Trnava of Slovakia, joined up with the Nigeria camp at Hilton Garden Inn, Wiener Neustadt Osterreich on Wednesday, moving the number of players in camp to 21.
Both fierce rivals on the African continent will again clash in a second game also at the Stadion Wiener Neustadt in Vienna on Tuesday, ahead of which the Nigerian players are already talking of getting victory in Friday’s first game.
The Eagles’ full array of players trained together on Wednesday, following the arrivals of team captain, Ahmed Musa and Racing Genk of Belgium striker, Paul Ebere Onuachu, which took the number of players in Nigeria’s camp to 20.
The full list of players in camp is topped by three goalkeepers: Emil Maduka Okoye, Francis Odinaka Uzoho and John Noble; as well as five defenders: William Troost-Ekong, Valentine Ozornwafor, Chidozie Awaziem, Anthony Izuchukwu and Jamilu Collins.
They are joined by five midfielders: Wilfred Onyinyen Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo, Abdullahi Shehu, Abraham Marcus and Samson Tijani; as well as eight forwards: Ahmed Musa, Paul Ebere Onuachu, Alex Iwobi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Moses Simon, Anayo Iwuala, Terem Moffi and Peter Olayinka.
A preview by the communications department of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) added: “Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions have had a lot of laughs at the expense of the Super Eagles in principally Africa Cup of Nations finals – 1984, 1988 and 2000.
“But the Eagles edged the neighbours to the east 3-2 in the quarter finals of the last AFCON in Egypt two years ago, mauled the Lions 3-0 in a friendly in Belgium in October 2015 and were vastly superior over two legs in 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches in September 2017.
“After Tuesday’s training, Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr said he was satisfied with the session, and insisted the match against the Lions is an avenue to assess and evaluate what a number of new players can bring to the group. Friday’s clash will start at 8.30pm Nigeria time.”
