The Super Eagles Eagles of Nigeria play the Eagles of Mali on Tuesday in their second friendly game of the international break, Soccernet.ng reports.
Coach Finidi George will be looking to claim his second win in two games after defeating Ghana 2-1 in their first game of the international break.
It promises to be an interesting tie because Mali are also one of the top teams on the continent. Going into the game, there are expectations that Finidi will tweak his lineup a bit, as he stated that he does not want to overwork his players. As such, players like Nathan Tella, Sadiq Umar, and Raphael Onyedika could get opportunities.
Also, Frank Onyeka and Calvin Bassey will be unavailable for selection after sustaining injuries.
Ahead of the game, Soccernet.ng names five players that could make the difference for Nigeria.
Nathan Tella
Tella is expected to start on the right of Nigeria’s attack against Mali. The Bayer Leverkusen star was an unused substitute against Ghana, but he could get more minutes against Mali. Tella has been very good for his club this season in their charge for the Bundesliga, and if he gets the opportunity, he could bring his club form into the national team.
Wilfred Ndidi
After missing the AFCON because of an injury, Ndidi is back in the team. He had a very good game against Ghana, and he would be expected to produce another good performance against Mali. He is one of the best defensive midfielders in Africa, and on his good days, very few can match his quality.
Alex Iwobi
Iwobi had a good game against Ghana, and he’ll be looking to take that into the second game. Finidi’s change of approach saw Iwobi flourish in midfield, and he would be expected to produce a similar performance against Mali.
Kelechi Ihenacho
Ihenacho was a thorn in Ghana’s flesh in the first game, and he is expected to produce another brilliant performance against Mali if he gets the chance. Against Ghana, Iheanacho looked really hungry for goals, and he would be looking to nick one against Mali
Ademola Lookman
Lookman scored the second goal for Nigeria against Ghana, continuing from where he stopped at the AFCON, where he scored three goals. The Atalanta star has proven to be a livewire for Nigeria, and he could make the difference once again against Mali.