WORLD CUP 2018 QUALIFIER
Femi Solaja
Super Eagles training camp in Rabat, Morocco commenced in full swing tuesday with 20 players available for the technical crew led by Gernot Rohr to begin to tinker the game- plan against Algeria on Friday evening in Constantine.
Eagles are aiming to finish the Russia 2018 qualifiers unbeaten having progressed to this last game against the Fennecs with no defeat.
Team Captain, John Mikel Obi, goalkeepers Francis Uzoho and Daniel Akpeyi were the last set of Eagles to arrive the camp last night.
Media officer of the team, Toyin Ibitoye, confirmed the arrival of Mikel and the other players to complete Rohr’s full house for the dead rubber tie.
“The camp mode is fully activated now with the arrival of all the players invited to prosecute the match on Friday and the all-important international friendly match against Argentina next week Tuesday in Russia,” Ibitoye said last night from the team’s camp in Rabat.
He also stressed that the first 20 players in camp took part in the light warm up in the morning as well as the full training in the evening.
“Training yesterday evening was more rigorous and you know that the match against Algeria is not inconsequential as we hope to use it to start our preparations for the World Cup, which is a big stage. We expect more competitions in the team because we are going to Russia to do well,” Ibitoye remarked last night.
Super Eagles will be without several key players, namely Victor Moses, Elderson Echiejile, Odion Ighalo, Ogenyi Onazi and Moses Simon for the matches against Algeria and Argentina.
Olanrewaju Kayode and Kenneth Omeruo were handed late call-ups by Rohr to complete the squad.
Uncapped Henry Onyekuru, Chidiebere Nwakali and Francis Uzoho will get a chance to stake for places in the squad to Russia 2018 if they find their form in the warm up games preceding the announcement of the final squad.
The Eagles will fly out to Algeria tomorrow for a final 2018 World Cup qualifier in Constantine the following day.
They will then face Argentina in a friendly on November 14 in Russia.
Meanwhile, World football-ruling body, FIFA has appointed Gabonese referee, Eric Arnaud Otogo Castane as the referee for the match in Constantine, to be assisted by Aboubacar Doumbouya (Guinea, assistant referee 1), Seydou Tiama (Burkina Faso, assistant referee 2) and Juste Ephrem Zio (Burkina Faso, fourth official).
Rene Daniel Louzaya from Congo will be referee assessor while Omer Kouame Dehoule from Cote d’Ivoire as match commissioner.
The match at the Stade Mohamed Hamlaoui will kick off at 8.30pm Algeria time.
