Madagascar are set to square off with Nigeria in their final 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) Group B match at the Alexandria Stadium in Egypt on Sunday.
Kick-off is at 6pm CAT (SA, GMT+2).
Barea boosted their chances of reaching the knockout phase by securing their maiden win at the Afcon finals when they defeated fellow tournament debutants Burundi 1-0 on Thursday.
Madagascar are placed second on the group standings with four points and a draw or victory against Nigeria will see them advance to the Round of 16.
Nicolas Dupuis, the Madagascar head coach, is looking to mastermind the Super Eagles’ downfall after making history in the continental competition.
“I am so happy because of this victory (against Burundi). It was our first in the history of the Afcon and we worked hard for it,” Dupuis said.
“It was not an easy match because Burundi gave us a tough time especially in the second half. But we can be proud of our efforts, we can be proud of what we achieved but the work is not yet over. We still have Nigeria to think about.”
Saudi Arabia-based striker Carolus Andriamatsinoro, who scored against Guinea on match-day one, will be looking to help Madagascar overcome the Super Eagles.
Meanwhile, Nigeria secured their place in the Round of 16 with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Guinea with one game left in the group stage on Wednesday.
The Super Eagles are placed at the top of the group standings with six points and they will be looking to finish at the top of the table with a victory over Barea.
Nigeria head coach Gernot Rohr has stated that they will be looking to ensure that they finish their group stage campaign on a winning note.
“It was a good performance from the team, we played really well though it was a tough game from Guinea,” Rohr said.
“I am happy we could deal with the danger they posed and being the first into the round of 16 is a joy for us. Now we have to ensure we finish off well against Madagascar in our last game to top the pool.”
China-based striker Odion Ighalo has already scored once at the ongoing tournament and he will be keen to inspire Nigeria to victory over Madagascar.
In head-to-head stats, Madagascar and Nigeria have clashed four times with the Super Eagles recording three wins, and one game ended in a draw.
Source: SuperSports
