NIGERA v ALGERIA: Algerian camp, Covid 19 problems, tixs

[Enugu II]

Serious Training Will Start for the Greens
https://www.lesoirdalgerie.com/sports/l ... erts-49072

The Greens' (Algeria) camp will officially begin on Tuesday, the day after the arrival of the squad's players and staff who will arrive Austria late Monday afternoon.
Djamel Belmadi is tweaking the last details of his list for the October training course (5-13) on Austrian soil which will be punctuated by two friendly matches, the first of which is scheduled for next Friday against the Nigerian Super Eagles. A meeting that will probably not take place on the ground of the Jacques-Lemans Arena stadium in Sankt Veit an der Glan, a small city wall which will host Bensebaïni's comrades. The organizers, informed of the desire of the two teams to play in a regulatory stadium, are working on the issue and a solution will be found by Sunday, we learned from a good source.

The first group of Algerian squad, made up of administrative and medical staff as well as two players (Zorgane and Lamara) who had undergone PCR tests yesterday, will leave Algiers today for Paris from where they will connect to Vienna then the village of Sankt Veit an der Glan. The Nigerians chose the same flight plan to reach the place of concentration in Austria. Today, team administrators and medical staff will travel from Abuja for Austria. Among them will be Al-Nasr Essaoudi striker Ahmed Musa.

According to Nigerian media, Gernot Rohr will be waiting for his players in Austria. Their late arrival will deprive the Super Eagles of time to better prepare for the test against the Algerians. The team, including Osimhen (Napoli), will play a second game against Tunisia on 13 October. The match scheduled at the Jacques-Lemans Arena in Sankt Veit an der Glan could also see a relocation.

According to the Nigerian press, the two Super Eagles matches may be played in the presence of the public. The Austrian authorities have even granted attendance of 10,000 spectators for each meeting. However, the only spectators authorized to attend these matches are Austrian citizens or those who reside in Austria. The restrictions to fight against Covid-19 being what they are, this exemption requires the relocation of the two Nigerian matches initially planned in a stadium, the Jacques-Lemans Arena Stadion, which can only accommodate 2,420 people.
Mr. B.

M’Bolhi already in Paris
International goalkeeper Al-Ittifak Saoudi left Riyadh on Thursday for Paris where he will take Monday's flight to Vienna (Austria), where the Greens will hold their training camp. M’Bolhi, who resumed training last week due to an injury, has been released by his club along with his team-mate, Tunisian Naïm Sliti, whose selection will also face Nigeria in Austria on 13 October.
Mr. B.

Dr. Ouznali will not go to Vienna
Contaminated by Covid-19, Doctor Youcef Ouznali, in charge of food safety for the selection, will not be on the trip today to Vienna. Until yesterday, the FAF, whose spokesperson confirmed Dr Ouznali's information of contamination, had not yet announced whether he will be replaced. It should be remembered that the federation had to do without the local physiotherapy services of EN for this Green course in Austria by entrusting this task to "freelancers" that it will recruit in France.
Mr. B.

While waiting for the results of the PCR tests
Chetti positive for Covid-19
The list of members of the Tunisian team, EST, contaminated by Covid-19 is growing. Yesterday, the club counted more than 12 positive cases including that of Algerian Ilyes Chetti. Summoned by Belmadi for the Austrian camp which begins on Tuesday, Chetti is now forfeited. The other Algerians playing among the Blood and Gold should discover the results of their tests shortly. Among them are two other elements retained for the regrouping of the Greens, in this case Bedrane and Tougaï. Yesterday, the Tunisian club accused the FTF and the ministries of Health and Sports of being behind this dramatic situation. EST reproaches these three institutions for their eagerness to play the Supercopa match against US Monastir at all costs.
Mr. B.

[Damunk]

'They Won More Than We Did' - Algeria Coach On Why He Opted To Face Difficult Nigeria Team
Published: October 07, 2020
'They Won More Than We Did' - Algeria Coach On Why He Opted To Face Difficult Nigeria Team
Algeria coach Djamel Belmadi has explained why he opted to face difficult opponents Nigeria and Mexico in international matches this month.

Of the last seven games played between the Super Eagles and Desert Foxes, the West African giants have won five and lost two and one of the defeats came in the boardroom when Nigeria used in an ineligible player Abdullahi Shehu in their final game of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

Algeria managed to beat Nigeria 2-1 in the semifinals of last year's Africa Cup of Nations thanks to a brilliant free-kick scored by Manchester City star Riyad Mahrez with the last kick of the game.

Speaking to reporters at Wednesday's press conference, Belmadi explained : "Nigeria is a benchmark match, especially in the first half, we could have led 3-0.

"They are always very close matches against them, moreover they won more than we did. I am looking for the difficulty against Nigeria to progress "

He continued : "We could have opted very quickly against smaller teams but I had the requirement to obtain these two prestigious matches against Nigeria and Mexico.

"Nigeria everyone knows, it is the third best team in the FIFA / CAF ranking."

Nigeria are undefeated in their last five matches since losing to Algeria on July 14, 2019, drawing against Brazil and Ukraine, and picked up wins against Tunisia, Benin and Lesotho.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Copyright ANS

https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_n ... ?nid=37637

Story also confirmed by Complete Sports Nigeria as well as Daily Post Nigeria.