After a hiatus in football orchestrated by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic, Africa teams will be involved in international friendly.
Africa countries were gearing up for the 2021 Africa Nations Cup qualifier when football games were suspended.
With the gradual reduction of cases of COVID-19, football has returned at the international level.
Read Also: Friendly : Zambia Starting Well Their International Window
The October international break now gave countries the opportunity to play friendly games to reshape and get over every rusty that the break in football could have caused.
Football enthusiasts will be spoilt with the game they will love to watch and as such could miss interesting ones.
To this effect, Africa Top Sports identified five games scheduled for this week that you should not miss.
BELGIUM VS COTE D’IVOIRE
The Elephants will be looking to upset highly rated Red Devils in a friendly match at the King Baudoiun Stadium in Brussel on Thursday.
The game will be their first ever in 11 month due to the outbreak of COVID-19.
Ivory Coast became a second option for Roberto Martinez side who had wanted to play New Zealand.
However, the game was called off due to the restriction ban caused by coronavirus.
The Elephants will be up against a Belgium side who are yet to loss since their 5-2 loss to Switzerland in November 2018.
An uphill task also awaits Patrice Beaumelle who was appointed as new head coach earlier this year.
The last time both teams met was in 2014 when Didier Drogba and Wilfried Bony scored in a friendly game that end 2-2.
Belgium will be using the game to spar ahead of their UEFA Nations League game against England and Iceland.
For the Ivorian, it’s an opportunity to play one of the best team in the world s Beaumelle continues to shape his squad ahead of next month AFCON qualifier.
Supporters will be allowed into the stadium.
ALGERIA VS NIGERIA
Both African teams will play against each other far away Austria on Friday in a repeat of their 2018 meeting.
The Super Eagles had picked Ivory Coast and Tunisia to play in this month international break, but Ivory Coast turned down the request.
An opportunity avails itself for the Super Eagles to avenge their 2018 AFCON semi-final loss to the Dessert Foxes when both team clash on Friday.
Algeria went on to lift the 2018 AFCON title in Egypt and has remained impressive since then.
Both teams since the 2018 has gone five games unbeaten. Nigeria last game was October 2019 in a friendly match with Brazil that ended 1-1.
The Super Eagles currently top Group L in the 2021 AFCON qualifier having won all their games.
Friday match between the Dessert Foxes and the Super Eagles will be played at the Worthersee Stadion, Klagenfurt in Austria behind closed doors.
JAPAN VS CAMEROON
The Indomitable Lions will be looking to fine-tune their squad ahead of next month double-header AFCON qualifier against Mozambique.
While the Blue Samurai are going to use the game in preparation for their World Cup qualifier.
Cameroon following a poor outing at the 2018 AFCON in Egypt are hoping to come back strong with a friendly against Japan.
Both teams are currently training in the Netherland where they are expected to play clash at the Stadion Galgenwaard, Utrecht.
The Indomitable Lions will seize the opportunity to avenge their 2010 World Cup loss on Japan.
Cameroon has played Japan for previous times and have failed to find the net.
New manager Toni Conceicao will be looking to become the first head coach to put an end to Japan dominance over the the Francophone country.
Due to COVID-19, both teams have agreed that the game be played behind closed doors.
MOROCCO VS SENEGAL
Africa best football team, Senegal files out against the Atlas Lions of Morocco on Friday in a game that could alter next FIFA/Coca-cola ranking.
Morocco are looking to make it three consecutive win against a resilient Senegal side.
The Teranga Lions has maintained the top position as Africa best football country since last year.
Senegal were the runners-up of the 2019 AFCON losing by a lone goal to Algeria in the final.
However, they have remain consistent and are unbeaten since 2019.
With Sadio Mane out of the game and Chelsea new boy, Hakim Ziyech likely to miss, both teams still parade stars that will make the game a must-watch in Rabat.
The game will be the first meeting between both sides since May 2012.
Both teams have met 29 times with Morocco winning 16 of the previous meetings while Senegal won 7 games.
Their six previous games ended in a draw.
GHANA VS MALI
The Black Stars will finally begin a new era under coach C.K Akonnor and his assistant David Duncan who were appointed January this year.
Ghana has really fall down from the pecking order football house in Africa having failed to go farther in the previous AFCON competitions.
They face a herculean task against a Malian side who have been impressive.
Ghana will play Sudan in next month AFCON qualifier and this game will be a means for Akonnor to observe his players.
Mali has on two occasions defeated the Black Stars to win the AFCON Bronze medal in 2012 and 2013.
The matches comes up by 18:00 West Africa Time in Turkey.