Super Eagles Set to Face Guinea’s Syli Nationale Ahead of AFCON Group Matches
Jerry Adesewo
In preparation for the 34th Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cote d’Ivoire, the Super Eagles are gearing up for a friendly match against Guinea’s Syli Nationale in Abu Dhabi on Monday evening.
This encounter provides Head Coach José Peseiro with the opportunity to test different patterns and tactics against a quality opponent just a week before their opening game against Equatorial Guinea’s Nzalang National.
Nigeria’s Eagles find themselves in Group A, along with the host nation Cote d’Ivoire and the other two Guinean nations – Equatorial Guinea and Guinea Bissau.
The Syli Nationale, a formidable team in the 1970s and 1980s, winning silver at the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations, promises to be a challenging adversary. In a previous encounter at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, the Eagles secured a 1-0 victory. Notably, in 1981, Syli Nationale held the Eagles to a 1-1 draw in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match.
The upcoming match on Monday will take place at the Bani Yas Stadium and serves as a crucial opportunity for Coach Peseiro to finalize his strategy for the tournament. Kelechi Iheanacho, hampered by injury, is set to join the squad in Lagos on Tuesday evening before their departure to the Ivorian capital on January 10th.
With Nigeria aiming for their fourth African title, the Super Eagles will face Equatorial Guinea on January 14th, the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire on January 18th, and the Wild Dogs of Guinea Bissau on January 22nd.
The first two matches will be held at the Stade Alassane Ouattara, and the final group phase clash will take place at the Stade Houphouet-Boigny.
