Which of the Fennecs’ stars should the Super Eagles be wary of in Friday’s international showdown?
Riyad Mahrez – Man City
The Manchester City wideman surely needs no introduction owing to his popularity and ability.
Nigerians will still remember how Mahrez broke hearts in the West African nation in last year’s Africa Cup of Nations semi-final, with a late free-kick in second-half stoppage time to seal Algeria’s progress to the final.
The former Leicester City winger’s trickery and direct running led to William Troost-Ekong’s first-half own goal as well, so it’ll be up to the Nigeria defence to keep the two-time Premier League winner quiet as best they can.
Said Benrahma, Brentford
While Gernot Rohr has attacking threats of his own, stopping both Mahrez and Benrahma will be a Herculean task.
The Brentford man wreaked havoc in the Championship last year and has the individual quality to win games on his own.
Even though the 25-year-old wide playmaker’s had a somewhat slow start in 2020/21, 25 goal contributions last term reflects the damage the Bees attacker can inflict on any opposition.
Ismael Bennacer
A few inches lower and the AC Milan midfielder could have been the match winner in last year’s final four encounter.
Despite not being known for his goalscoring, Bennacer nearly struck moments before Mahrez’s winner but his powerful effort from range came back off the bar.
Not known for putting the ball in the net or even fashioning out direct scoring chances, still, the young midfielder makes up for that with a glut of qualities in and out of possession.
His passing range and ball-carrying helps in the team’s build-up play while the fact he made the highest volume of tackles and interceptions combined at Milan last term highlights his blue-collar side.
It’s no surprise Bennacer was named Afcon’s top player and he has what it takes to hurt Nigeria without having to score or assist.
Baghdad Bounedjah AlgeriaGiuseppe Cacace
Despite the striker’s profligate finishing the last time both sides met, Bounedjah remains a goalscoring threat on his day.
He, fortuitously, netted the winner over Senegal in the decider in Egypt and has been sensational for Al Sadd since his 2015 transfer, notably netting more times than appearances in the last five years.
Bounedjah has already scored four times and recorded three assists in only six league games this term and the 28-year-old striker’s prowess in front of goal shouldn’t be underestimated by Rohr’s troops.
Ramy Bensebaini – Borussia Monchengladbach
The left-back may not be as renowned as the aforementioned players but he possesses a threat from set-pieces and on his forays forward.
Bensebaini netted five times and assisted three goals in just 19 Bundesliga appearances last season, with his notable showing in December’s 2-1 win over Bayern Munich the highest point in the 25-year-old’s maiden season in Germany.
Without question, the Borussia Monchengladbach defender has the ability to hurt the three-time African champions if there’s no plan to thwart his influence.
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