Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez believes their Round of 16 showdown with Nigeria will be a far more open encounter than their previous outing at the Africa Cup of Nations.
The Desert Foxes are set to face the Super Eagles on Saturday at the Grande Stade Marrakech, with both sides battling for a place in the quarter-finals.
Mahrez was the hero the last time Algeria met Nigeria, netting the decisive goal in their 2019 AFCON semi-final in Cairo.
Algeria, however, had to grind out a narrow 1–0 victory over DR Congo in their Round of 16 match, a game that proved difficult as they struggled to create clear openings.
Looking ahead to the clash with Nigeria, the former Manchester City winger expects a more expansive contest, one he feels will better suit his team’s strengths.
“Our next opponent will pose a different kind of challenge compared to DR Congo,” Mahrez told journalists on Friday. “We anticipate a more open match, which should give us more room to express ourselves. We have to be fully ready.”
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