Super Eagles match with Cote d'Ivoire canceled, to play African champions Algeria

Super Eagles’ friendly against Cote d’Ivoire has been canceled as Nigeria will now play African champions Algeria.

The Ivorian FA sent a letter to the NFF regretting that The Elephants will not be able to honor the friendly due to internal problems.

But reigning African champions Algeria have accepted the offer to face Gernot Rohr’s side on October 9, 2020, in Austria.

Super Eagles match with Cote d’Ivoire canceled, to play African champions Algeria.

General Secretary of the Federation Algerienne de Football Mohamed Saad released an official statement:

“We have permission from our government to travel from Algeria to Austria and our country has reopened international flights. We also would like to confirm that FIFA match agent Me Jairo Pachon is authorised to carry on all the required work and planning in Austria in order to stage this event,”

The match between the Super Eagles and Algeria will be a repeat of the 2019 AFCON tournament semi final match where an injury-time goal from Riyad Mahrez won the tie by 2-1.

Both teams also clashed during the 2018 World Cup qualifiers and Nigeria got the better of the Fennecs by 3-1 at home and played a 1-1 draw away.

But the game in Algeria was awarded to the North Africans because Nigeria fielded an illegible player for the game.

Nigeria will also play Tunisia in the other international friendly on October 13, also in Austria and it will serve as a formidable test for the three-time African champions.

The Nigerian international made his first appearance for the Toffees in their similar scoreline against West Brom in the Premier League over the weekend after missing the win against Tottenham.

But the 23-year-old was in Carlo Ancelotti’s starting line up in the seven-goal thriller at the Highbury Stadium.