Super Eagles Clash with Pharaohs Today to Test Might Ahead 2019 AFCON

Nigeria Super Eagles will today play the hosts of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Egypt at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba in an international friendly as part of their preparations for the AFCON proper. The kick-off time for the match is 4pm.

Both teams at the weekend sealed qualification for the continent’s soccer fiesta with the Super Eagles beating the Pirates of Seychelles 3-1 while the Pharaohs finished their qualifiers campaign with a 1-1 draw against Niger in Niamey.

The Pharaohs arrived on Sunday for the match with a 25-man strong squad that include 10 new players but Manager, Javier Aguirre left out the trio of Liverpool’s star Mohamed Salah alongside West Bromwich Albion’s centre-back, Ahmed Hegazi and Aston Villa’s Ahmed Elmohamady.

Super Eagles forward, Ahmed Musa, has promised that the team would play an improved game in the international friendly.

“We are going to play an improved game against Egypt. It was a tough game for us against Seychelles because the pitch is not too good if we compare it with the type of pitch we use at our various clubs.

“We will lift our game because we know that this is the final friendly game window before the preparations for the AFCON will start proper.

“We spoke to ourselves after the disappointment of the World Cup in Russia and we have not lost any game since then.”

The last time both teams met was in the 2017 AFCON Group G qualifiers with the first leg ending 1-1 in Nigeria while Egypt won the return leg 1-0 four days later. With the defeat, Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2017 AFCON.