Super Eagles to play final friendly pre-World Cup against Algeria in Brazil

Super Eagles to play final friendly pre-World Cup against Algeria in Brazil

Posted by Sylvester on Wednesday, May 14, 2014 0

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NIGERIA'S Super Eagles are to play a final pre-World Cup friendly game against Algeria on June 11 once they arrive in Brazil to fine-tune their preparations in the hope that this will get them fully equipped for glory.

Under ambitious plans to ensure the Eagles are wellprepared for the World Cup challenge, the team will play three warm,-up matches before arriving in Brazil. On May 28, the Eagles will face Scotland at Fulham's Craven Cottage ground and immediately after that will fly out to the US on June 29 where it will be engaged in two other friendly matches.

On June 3, the Eagles will face Greece in Philadelphia and then lock horns with Team USA, in Jacksonville, Florida on June 7. After that match, the team will then depart for Brazil and will play its final friendly game against Algeria a day before the tournament starts on June 12 when hosts Brazil take on Croatia.

Over recent months, the Nigerian Football Federation has been negotiating with several associations to tie up this deal and has finally been able to reach an agreement with Algeria. To prosecute their World Cup programme, Algeria's Bosnian coach Vahid Halilhodzic, has named a 30-man squad that will be reduced to 23 by June 1.

Nigeria is drawn in Group F where the Eagles will take on Iran in Curitiba on June 16 before facing Bosnia-Herzegovina and Argentina on June 21 and 25 respectively. Expectations in Nigeria are high for this World Cup, with most fans and administrators optimistic that the team will at least reach the quarter finals.

Since 1998, Nigeria has failed to get out of her World Cup group but this time around, it is believed that the team is good enough go further than previous squads. So far, Nigeria has only got as far as the second round in World Cups but it is believed that based on the performances of the current team, including winning the 2013 African Cup of Nations, it can go further.

Meanwhile, goalkeeper and stand-in skipper Vincent Enyeama has just won the Marc Vivien Foe award for the best African player in France's Ligue One. Having just lost out to Paris Saint Germain's Salvatore Sirigu in the vote for Ligue One goalkeeper of the year, Enyeama's brilliant season was rewarded somewhat yesterday when he became the first Nigerian, the first goalkeeper and first player from English-speaking Africa to win the award.