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Nigeria vs Algeria: Super Eagles Is Not After Revenge – Rohr Reveals

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Gernot Rohr has said Super Eagles are not playing for revenge against Algeria.

News Rain Nigeria learned that as the Nigerian national team, Super Eagles take on the reigning African champions, Algeria this evening in Austria, the Head Coach of the team, Gernot Rohr has said that vengeance is least in his mind against the Algerian team.

 

It will be recalled that, in the last year’s Africa Cup of Nations held in Egypt, the Nigerian team lost to the North Africans at the semi-final stage. The Algerian team later went ahead to win the coveted trophy.

Speaking in a Zoom virtual conference yesterday, Rohr insisted that rather than thinking of beating the reigning AFCON champions, the international window is an opportunity to try out new players and also look at regulars to see how they are faring.

Nigeria vs Algeria: Super Eagles Is Not After Revenge – Rohr 

He said: “These are tests for us. The results of these friendlies not important but what we can take away from them.”

It will also be recalled that Super Eagles defeated the Algerians in Uyo and also went ahead to grab a draw in the final game of the qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup.

Although that last match was later awarded to the Algerians following Nigeria’s use of ineligible Shehu Abdullahi, the Fennecs have gone 18 matches unbeaten since then.

Rohr further said: “We know this Algeria side have been unbeaten in 18 games since we defeated them in Uyo. They are really progressing. They are perhaps the strongest team in Africa right now. The match will be a real test for Nigeria.”

Rohr who is in Austria without half of his regular starting line up has eight uncapped players to pick for the matches against the top North African teams. The fresh faces include; Cyriel Dessers (Genk), Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow), Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto), Frank Onyeka (FC Midtjylland), Samson Tijani (TSV Hartberg), Kevin Akpoguma (Hoffenheim), Tobias Lawal (LASK), and Matthew Yakubu (SKF Sered).

 

He insisted that the Friendlies will enable him to take a critical look at the new boys.

“I want to see what the new players have to offer. We already saw what the can do at training sessions but that is different from true match situations,” Rohr declared.

Meanwhile, Rohr admitted to missing the services of his midfielders like Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo, and Joe Aribo. Both Ndidi and Etebo are down with injuries while Aribo is just coming back from a similar situation.

News Rain Nigeria had previously reported that Nigeria’s free-scoring forward, Victor Osimhen is absent due to health protocol in the Italian topflight that has forced the entire Napoli squad into self-isolation after two players and some backroom staff test positive for the virus.

In this regard, the Super Eagles Coach said: “Absence of (Victor) Osimhen is a void. He did so well in the last game for the team.

 

“However, we have to call up Paul (Onuachu), (Cyriel) Dessers, and Chidera Ejuke who are all doing so well with their clubs. We also have Kelechi Iheanacho who has shown good quality at training and the other strikers like (Ahmed) Musa.”