International Football
Zambia, Algeria Hope for First Win
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Match Day 3 duels of the Group B of the Africa qualifying group for Russia 2018 will be rounded up this Saturday as Zambia host Algeria. Both sides are on a point each ahead of the game in Lusaka, Zambia.
Just like the current African champions, Cameron, neither Zambia nor Algeria had won a match since the final qualifying competition began last October.
As it is, only the Super Eagles have recorded victories in a group that was aptly dubbed “Group of Death” as all the four teams have been Africa Cup of Nations winners and three of the teams – Nigeria, Cameroon and Algeria – qualified for the last two editions of the World Cup in South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014.
But what initially looked like a Greek puzzle surprisingly turned simple like ABC as Nigeria appeared to be taking a stroll in the pack. All the three teams in the group have lost to Nigeria which is the only side to have obtained maximum points in all encounters.
Psychologically, Nigeria’s massive win over Cameroon may have effect on the Zambia-Algeria match coming 24 hours later. Both Zambia and Algeria have been both arithmetically and mathematically placed at huge disadvantage on qualification dream.
Victory by either therefore looks very unlikely. Zambia, playing at home will be without Rainford Kalaba who was cautioned in the team’s immediate past two matches against Nigeria last October in Ndola and away against Cameroon last November.
Meanwhile according to Times of Zambia, Skipper Kennedy Mweene said the Chipolopolo must beat Algeria just as Coach Wedson Nyirenda urged the players not to overrate Algeria but approach the game with caution.
The Zambian are third in a four-team Group B with one point, eight behind leaders Nigeria and will be desperate to pick up a win against Algeria to get the campaign back on track.
Cameroun are still second on two points while Algeria have one point.
The Times of Zambia reported that 26 players out of the 31 summoned for camp reported with just strikers Fashion Sakala, Patson Daka, Brian Mwila, Emmanuel Banda and defender Stoppila Sunzu being awaited.
Mweene said in an interview before their first training session at the Vodafone Woodlands Stadium that Algeria does not send any shivers down the player’s spine.
He said the North Africans were still beatable despite them having big names in Leicester City forwards Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani.
“I think the only result that will be acceptable at home is a win and then get something in Algeria. We are not afraid of them. Yes, most of them play in Europe but the football in Africa is different,” Mweene said.
The 2012 Africa Cup winning goalkeeper said despite the Chipolopolo bad start to the World Cup campaign, the team was still in contention.
“It doesn’t matter how we started the qualifiers, we are still in contention and we have to pull up our stocks,” Mweene said.
Mweene hailed the inclusion of the seven Under-20 players to the Chipolopolo saying that they can contribute to the glory of the team.
“If the under-20 impressed the coach in training, why not play them. It’s not about age, they do have some experience and it’s about who wants it more,” Mweene said.
Nyirenda said he was happy with the player’s turnout and that would work on blending them into a solid team.
Asked about midfielder Fwayo Tembo’s unavailability to play for the national team, Nyirenda said the squad had enough depth and will not have a problem with the player’s absence.
“I see great sparks in this group I have called, they have nothing to lose but everything to give,” Nyirenda said.
Meanwhile, Under-20 call-up Enock Mwepu said he has not come to warm the bench but play on Saturday.
Mwepu said that he was excited about being called to the senior national team for the first time and that he will do his best.
“I am here to play and not sit on the bench. I am ready for the challenge. Algeria is just a name, it’s a team like any other and we can stop them,” Mwepu said.
Aliou Cisse has been named coach of the Angola national team, the country’s football federation (FAF) announced on Thursday, 24 hours after the Senegalese left his post in Libya.
The 50-year-old coach, who led Senegal to their maiden Africa Cup of Nations title in 2022, ended his short stint with the Libyan national team on Wednesday, after taking charge in March 2025.
“Welcome, Aliou Cisse, head coach of the Angola national team,” the FAF said on Facebook. Angola, which failed to reach this year’s World Cup, will start their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign in September.
-Reuters
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Nigeria’s Super Eagles were held to a 2-2 draw by FIFA World Cup-bound Jordan in an eventful international friendly in Antalya on Tuesday night, with the contest overshadowed by a late red card to Alex Iwobi.
Iwobi, making his 98th appearance for the national team, was sent off in the closing stages, capping a dramatic encounter in which Nigeria surrendered a first-half lead and finished the game with ten men.
The match, played at the Mardan Sports Complex, brought Nigeria’s March international window to a close, but it proved anything but routine as both sides delivered a fiercely contested and entertaining clash.
Jordan, ranked 64th in the world and enjoying strong recent form, struck first in the 17th minute through Mousa Tamari. A well-worked free-kick routine caught the Nigerian defence napping, allowing the forward to fire home the opener.
Nigeria responded quickly and thought they had equalised six minutes later when Raphael Onyedika finished from a Moses Simon cut-back, but the goal was controversially ruled out.
The Super Eagles eventually drew level in the 30th minute. Stand-in captain Moses Simon, earning his 97th cap, reacted fastest after Ademola Lookman’s effort was blocked, slotting home with a composed left-footed finish for his second goal in as many matches.
Nigeria went ahead four minutes before halftime when Bright Osayi-Samuel’s pinpoint cross found debutant Emmanuel Fernandez, who showed great composure to control and finish, giving the three-time African champions a 2-1 lead at the interval.
The second half took on a more physical tone, with goalkeeper Francis Uzoho forced off in the 57th minute after sustaining an injury while clearing the ball. Adebayo Adeleye replaced him between the posts.
Head coach Eric Chelle introduced Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi to shore up the midfield, but Jordan continued to press and were rewarded with an equaliser in the 77th minute.
Nigeria pushed for a winner late on, handing a senior debut to Philip Otele, while Samuel Chukwueze came on for Moses Simon. However, the closing moments were marred by Iwobi’s dismissal, leaving the Super Eagles to see out the match with ten men.
Despite the draw, the encounter offered valuable insights for the coaching crew as Nigeria continues preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
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By Kunle Solaja
Match Context
- Fixture: Jordan vs Nigeria
- Venue: Antalya, Turkey
- Occasion: Four-Nation Invitational Tournament
- Kick-off: Tuesday (evening)
They would have loved facing Jamaica in Mexico today for a place at the World Cup, but fate has other plans, and Nigeria’s Super Eagles will be taking on World Cup debutants Jordan in a friendly match instead in Turkey.
The encounter promises to be a revealing contest for both sides as preparations intensify for future global assignments.
The encounter, staged as part of a four-nation tournament in Turkey, will be the third meeting between the two countries, with the head-to-head record finely poised.
History Beckons in Third Meeting
Nigeria claimed a 2-0 victory in their first clash at the National Stadium, Lagos, on 28 April 2004 during the LG Cup.
However, the tables turned in 2013 when a largely experimental Nigerian side under the late Stephen Keshi suffered a 1-0 defeat in Amman, courtesy of a Hatem Aqel penalty.
This latest meeting now serves as the decider in what has quietly become a balanced rivalry.
Jordan arrive in buoyant mood, riding on the crest of a historic achievement, which is their first-ever qualification for the FIFA World Cup (2026).
Jordan’s Al-Nashama
Their recent form underlines a team growing in confidence and tactical discipline. In the past months, Al-Nashama have:
- Held Russia (0-0)
- Defeated Dominican Republic (3-0)
- Drawn with Mali (0-0)
- Narrowly lost to Bolivia (1-0) and Albania (4-2)
- Pushed Tunisia (3-2 loss) in a competitive encounter
They also opened this invitational tournament with a 2-2 draw against Costa Rica, further evidence of their resilience.
The team’s preparations have been boosted by a morale-lifting visit from Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein, President of the Jordan Football Association, during their Antalya training camp.
Coach Jamal Al-Salami has deliberately scheduled matches against Nigeria and Costa Rica, citing their stylistic similarity to World Cup opponents such as Argentina, Austria, and Algeria.
Despite missing several key players, including star forward Mousa Ta’mari, Jordan have continued to show depth, blending senior players with youth prospects as part of a broader developmental strategy.
Nigeria head into the clash with renewed confidence after a 2-1 victory over Iran in their opening game of the tournament, with goals from Moses Simon and Akor Adams.
Unlike previous meetings, the Super Eagles are expected to field a full-strength squad, packed with Europe-based stars, something Jordanian observers have already described as a “heavyweight challenge.”
The squad boasts a blend of experience and attacking flair.
The presence of multiple attacking options gives Nigeria a clear edge going forward, while their physicality and pace could pose serious problems for the Jordanians.
Jordan are expected to adopt a compact, disciplined shape, relying on quick transitions and defensive organisation, qualities that earned them results against stronger opposition in recent friendlies.
Nigeria, by contrast, will likely dominate possession, using width and individual brilliance to break down Jordan’s defensive lines.
The key battle may lie in midfield, where Jordan’s structure will be tested against Nigeria’s blend of strength, technique, and tempo.
For Jordan, this is another step in fine-tuning a squad preparing for its historic World Cup debut—a chance to measure themselves against elite opposition.
For Nigeria, it is an opportunity to assert authority, build cohesion among its star-studded squad, and maintain momentum ahead of more competitive fixtures.
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