The Super Eagles will battle Tunisia on Tuesday (today), after players and officials of the national team tested negative for COVID-19 on Monday.
The match, billed for the Jacques Lemans Arena in the Austrian city of St. Veit an der Glan, will start at 7:30pm Nigerian time.
The Eagles had also undergone the COVID-19 tests on Thursday, before their 1-0 loss to Algeria in Klagenfurt, Austria.
The three-time African champions will be hoping to bounce back against the Tunisians after Friday’s defeat.
The Nigerians defeated Tunisia 1-0 to clinch bronze at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations – after losing to Algeria in the semi-final, and are unbeaten in their last five matches against the Carthage Eagles – two wins and three draws – with their last defeat 16 years ago after a penalty shootout in the semi-final of the 2004 AFCON in Rades, Tunisia.
But ahead of this tie, the Tunisians are in high spirits after a resounding 3-0 victory over Sudan in another friendly on Friday.
Coach Gernot Rohr hinted there would be changes in the squad after Friday’s defeat.
“We definitely must put up a greater effort against the Tunisians. It is an opportunity for some of the players to rise up to the occasion, stake a claim. They are ready to go and I believe we would see a much better game on Tuesday,” Rohr was quoted as saying in a statement by the Nigeria Football Federation on Monday.
While the team will still miss the services of Victor Osimhen, Wilfred Ndidi and Oghenekaro Etebo who pulled out due to various reasons, Rohr has the luxury of testing new players for the game.
Striker Cyriel Dessers and goalkeeper Matthew Yakubu will both hope to win their first international caps, while Kenneth Omerue, Ola Aina, Jamilu Collins and Chidera Ejuke will all be hoping to be in action after missing the Algeria tie.
