After a slim victory over Mali in an international friendly last
Friday, Nigeria’s Super Eagles, handled by interim coach, Salisu Yusuf,
will be brimming for another victory when they take on the Red Lions of
Luxembourg today in another international friendly, at the Stade Josy
Barthel this evening.The game, which will be the second litmus test for the team’s new handler and his young, ambitious side, as they will be looking to record another win over the Luxembourgians.
While Kelechi Iheanacho came off the bench to get the only game of the game in the 77th minute, the coach will be looking for more options upfront, to liven up a team which has found it difficult to creazte chances upfront – at least, as was seen in the game against Mali.
Defensive midfielder Wilfred Ndidi arrived the team’s Alvisse Parc Hotel camp in Luxembourg City, yesterday night, bringing the number of players in camp to 21. Midfielder Babatunde Michael, who flew to Morocco after the clash with Mali to be on duty for his club, Raja Casablanca, was being expected in Luxembourg City on same night, as well.
Though their foes have scored only four goals in their last 10 games and conceded 20, Yusuf insisted that his lads would not under-rate the Europeans; they wouldn’t sit back, either.
“There are no longer small teams in international football. You could get sucker-punched if you under-estimate any team. We will go out there and play to win.”
Luxembourg, coached by Luc Holtz, will rely on the fast breaks of winger Daniel Alves da Mota and the potency of Stefano Bensi in attack. Bensi scored 21 goals in the Luxembourg Premier League in the just –ended season. But there is also David Turpel, who netted 26 goals in 32 matches for Fola Esch in the Luxembourgian top flight.
The Red Lions have won only two of their last 10 matches, beating Macedonia 1-0 in a Euro 2016 qualifier in September 2015 and Greece by the same margin in a friendly two months later.
Their last match, a friendly against Albania in March this year, ended in a 2-0 defeat for the Lions.
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