Super Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro has insisted that his team will be gunning for victory against Algeria in Oran tonight despite being without several key players.
A rash of players, including Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, Queens Park Rangers defender Leon Balogun, Watford centre-back William Troost-Ekong and captain Ahmed Musa, are unavailable for tonight’s friendly against the 2019 African champions.
Nottingham Forest forward Emmanuel Dennis, West Brom defender Semi Ajayi and Henry Onyekuru also pulled out of the match due to injury.
At least three of these players would be in the starting line-up if they were available, but Peseiro is not unduly perturbed by their absence.
“We have other players. To us it’s not important, what’s important is the players that are here,” the Portuguese said in a Nigeria Football Federation video.
“I believe in them, I have confidence in them. They know what to do in this game.
“I have good players, I have a good squad and they’re going to fight for a good result.”
The former Saudi Arabia and Venezuela coach however admits that Algeria are tough opponents.
The last time both teams met in an official friendly, Algeria defeated the Super Eagles 1-0 in Austria in 2020.
The North Africans also defeated the Super Eagles in the semi-finals on their way to triumph at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
“We’re playing against a good, strong team. We’re going to fight to beat them. Of course it’s not easy and they have good players,” Peseiro noted.
“We also have quality in our squad to give them a good game.”
The Super Eagles have already played during their one-week stay in Algeria, a ‘training game’ against the hosts’ home-based national team which ended 2-2 on Friday night.
