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Johnny Edward
Players from the Nigeria Professional Football League are expected to be left out of Nigeria’s international friendly against Algeria in Oran on September 27, The PUNCH has reliably gathered.
The game billed for the Miloud-Hadefi Olympic Stadium in Oran will be their 22nd meeting since January 10, 1973, with the Eagles recording nine wins, three draws and nine defeats.
Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro, who will announce his squad list for the game in the coming days for the game will reportedly not consider the NPFL players due to their inactivity with their respective teams it was also learnt.
Speaking with The PUNCH, Eagles assistant coach, Finidi George revealed that it will be difficult to include the NPFL players in the squad for the game in Oran as most of the Eagles B players are currently on holiday.
“Home-based players may not feature in the team for the friendly against Algeria because they just played in CHAN and will have to go for holidays,” Finidi told PUNCH Sports Extra.
“After their exit against Ghana, they went for a break, so I don’t think these home-based players will be involved for this friendly.
“Some of them are on holidays, some teams have not resumed pre-season so it’s going to be difficult.”
The Eagles will be without Umar Sadiq, Akinkumi Amoo, Semi Ajayi and Victor Osimhen for the encounter.
It remains to be seen who will lead the Eagles’ attack for the game with Osimhen and Sadiq ruled out of the game.
“They said Osimhen’s injury is not that serious, but maybe he won’t be able to make the friendly game against Algeria. We’ll see if the injured players can make it or not, especially Osimhen, Finidi continued.
“For Sadiq, I think that is a critical one, those injuries take a longer time, I really feel for him, it is very unfortunate but he will be back, he’s in Europe, and a lot of players have come out of it.”