Remember that Riyad Mahrez free kick against Akpeyi right? The 2019 African Cup of Nations is one tournament that football enthusiasts and fans of the Super Eagles will not forget in a hurry, given the painful manner with which the Nigeria national team was knocked out in the semifinal of the tournament in Egypt.
Super Eagles midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi has revealed that his ex-Leicester City team mate, Riyad Mahrez told him the Super Eagles would have defeated Algeria in the semifinal match which the Algerians won by a slim 2-1 margin.
Ndidi said that Algeria’s captain and match winner, Mahrez confided in him that the Algerian team was tired towards the end of the match and were scared that Nigeria would have knocked them out, if the game had gone into extra time.
Ndidi revealed that “Mahrez was honest that they were tired. He told me that if we had played extra time the game would have favoured Nigeria because we were stronger and had more energy”.
In the game played at the Cairo International Stadium, Algeria took the lead via an own goal from William Troost Ekong in the 40th minute. Odion Ighalo drew Nigeria level from the penalty spot after 72 minutes before Riyad Mahrez drilled a well-curled free kick past Nigeria’s goal keeper, Daniel Akpeyi.
The Algerians emerged champions of the tournament after they pipped the Teranga Lions of Senegal 1-0, to lift their second title after testing success in 1990, defeating Nigeria in the final.
Talking about the Manchester City winger, he said “Riyad is one player I respect so much, he is not strong but very skillful, you can hardly get the ball from him”.
