Abuja – Nigeria’s Super Eagles will walk onto the pitch of the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium on Saturday on superior ground against the Fennecs of Algeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there have been 17 clashes between both teams (all at competitive level), with Nigeria winning eight times, drawing three and losing six.

Nigeria’s captain Mikel Obi was less than three years old the last time Algeria defeated Nigeria, in the final of the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations in Algiers.

Super Eagles’ current goalkeepers’ trainer Aloysius Agu was the Eagles’ goalkeeper and captain that day, March 16, 1990.

It was a tough game at the July 5 Stadium in Algiers, but the Fennecs won their first (and still only) Africa title when Cherif Oudjani’s long range effort beat Agu for the only goal of the match.

At that same competition, Algeria had beaten the Eagles 5-1 in the opening match.

But the Eagles would remember that and pay back the Fennecs when lashing their hosts 5-2 in Oran in a 2006 World Cup qualifier on Sept. 4, 2005.

The first clash between both countries was on Jan. 10, 1973, during the football event of the second All Africa Games that Nigeria hosted. The match ended 2-2.

Seven years later, the Green Eagles thrashed the Algerians 3-0 to lift their first Africa Cup title.

In their last four confrontations, the Eagles have enjoyed a winning streak against Algeria, which is more than the three consecutive wins Algeria had over Nigeria between Oct. 1981 and March 1982.

In the qualifying race for Espana ’82, Algeria beat Nigeria 2-0 in Lagos and 2-1 in Constantine.

The Fennecs came from behind to edge the Eagles 2-1 at the 1982 Africa Cup of Nations in Libya.

Algeria is currently the number one ranked team in Africa and 36th in the world, while Nigeria is 11th and 60th in the world.

Nigeria notably moved up four places in the latest FIFA rankings release in October following their impressive start in 2018 World Cup qualifying.

However, that will count for nothing when both sides clash in Uyo.

Nigeria currently sits on top of Group B table with three points, while Cameroon and Algeria have one point each.

The Desert Foxes were held to a 1-1 draw at home to the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.

Zambia is at the bottom of the log with no points, having lost 2-1 at home to Nigeria.