Unbeaten Algeria face Eagles test as African powerhouses clash

 

African champions Algeria will defend an 18-match unbeaten run when the leading African national teams return to action this week after 10 months of inactivity due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Fennec Foxes face Nigeria’s Super Eagles in Austria on 9 October and Mexico in the Netherlands on 13 October ahead of the November resumption of 2021 Cup of Nations qualifying.

The Desert Foxes, who defeated Senegal in Cairo last July to become African champions a second time, last lost in October 2018, away to Benin. They also inflicted the Eagles’ last defeat – a 2-1 win on their way to lifting the AFCON trophy in 2019.

They have won 15 competitive and friendly matches and drawn three since, with the victories including a thrashing of Colombia in France.

Cup of Nations-winning coach Djamel Belmadi has called up 24 stars with Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez the captain and talisman.

Nigeria also play twice, meeting another powerful north African side, Tunisia, in Austria four days after tackling the Algerians.

The game with Tunisia is also a repeat of a 2019 Cup of Nations encounter, with Nigeria winning the third-place playoff 1-0 thanks to an Odion Ighalo goal.

Ighalo, a 31-year-old forward on loan to Manchester United from Shanghai Shenhua until 31 January, has since quit international football.

Meanwhile, injured Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi also misses out of the blockbuster clash, along with rave of the moment Victor Osimhen following the coronavirus chaos at Napoli.

But Rohr selected four Premier League stars for the clash – defenders Olaoluwa Aina from Fulham and Oluwasemilogo Ajayi from West Bromwich Albion and attackers Alex Iwobi from Everton and Kelechi Iheanacho from Leicester.

The Ivory Coast, initially billed to play Nigeria, have opted for non-African opponents – Belgium in Brussels on 8 October and Japan in Utrecht on 13 October – in their first games under French coach Patrice Beaumelle.

Top-ranked African country Senegal face Morocco away and host Mauritania without their superstar, Liverpool forward Sadio Mane, who has tested positive for Covid-19.