Congo test might against African champions, Super Eagles
Also, only last weekend the country’s U-20 team eliminated defending champions Egypt to qualify for the 2015 African Youth Championship in Senegal. Indeed, good times for Congo on the pitch but facing Nigeria, a three time Nations cup winner and the reigning African champion might prove a bit daunting for the “Diables Rouges” ascending football.Nigeria’s […]
Also, only last weekend the country’s U-20 team eliminated defending champions Egypt to qualify for the 2015 African Youth Championship in Senegal. Indeed, good times for Congo on the pitch but facing Nigeria, a three time Nations cup winner and the reigning African champion might prove a bit daunting for the “Diables Rouges” ascending football.
Nigeria’s Eagles first clashed with Congo at home in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in 1970, the matched ended 0-0 with the Congolese overcoming the Eagles 2-1 in the return leg in Brazzaville.
So it can rightly be said that the Central Africans had an edge after the first two meetings but as it turns out that would be their only victory over Nigeria in nine encounters.
The last meeting between the teams was a group game of the African Nations Cup in 2000, which Nigeria co-hosted with Ghana, the match ended 0-0.
Despite the fears over the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease, Nigeria foreign stars have responded well for this match with only goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and Chinedu Obasi out of the encounter.
Enyeama is said to have a pressing family problem, while Obasi has been held back at his German base by a bureaucratic hiccup.
The visitors will be missing Jordan Massengo and skipper Delvin Ndinga.
Massengo’s Belgian second division club Mons refused to release him, arguing they received the player’s call-up past the deadline (as Congo was waiting for CAF’s Rwanda appeal decision).
Under pressure from his club, the player said he was not 100% fit and turned down the invitation.
Delvin Ndinga, on the other hand, picked up a knock while featuring for Greek champions Olympiacos in a league game against Panaitolikos.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Super Eagles –
Kenneth Omeruo –
After an impressive showing at the World Cup in Brazil, all eyes will be on the Middlesborough defender touted as a potential Eagles skipper to shut out Congo’s attackers and steer Nigeria to next year’s Nations cup
Ogenyi Onazi –
This midfield maestro who marshaled Eagles midfield in Brazil before a knee injury ended his participation against France in Nigeria’s last game will appear for the first time since his recovery to continue his impressive run.
Ahmed Musa –
The first Nigerian player to score a brace in a World Cup is becoming the brace king as he scored another last weekend in the Russian league, he’ll be hoping the scoring run continues against Congo
Red Devils –
Kader Bidimbou- Teenager Kader Bidimbou, who featured at last year’s African U-17 Championship in Morocco, netted a brace against Egypt in the first leg of the AYC qualification last weekend and will be one of those the Eagles have to keep a special watch on.
Ladislas Douniama –
After a rapid passage, in 2012, with FC Lorient and AC Arles-Avignon, Douniama in 2013 signed a new contract for EA Guingamp and greatly contributed that year to the club’s rise in Ligue 1, he has great shooting abilities.
Chris Malonga –
He plays as a versatile box-to-box midfielder who is capable of playing as either a central midfielder or an attacker. Malonga left Monaco on the last day of the transfer window, to sign a one-year contract with Primeira Liga club Vitória de Guimarães