#PLStories- Leicester City players Kelechi Ihenacho, Daniel Amartey and Ademola Lookman look forward to national team rivalry #LCFC
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Kelechi Iheanacho Leicester City
Leicester City stars go face to face on Friday night in a huge encounter. Kelechi Iheanacho will be aiming to outwit team-mate Daniel Amartey as Nigeria and Ghana play the first leg of their World Cup play-off, with the victor over two matches booking a place in Qatar at the end of the year. Both players should go into the game in a confident mood given their club form. Amartey is enjoying his best-ever season at City, and has been a regular in the defence, while Iheanacho, when given opportunities, has managed to have a big impact, the striker currently on a combined 15 goals and assists. Previewing the game,
Kelechi Iheanacho said: “He (Amartey) has told me how he’s going to mark me, stop me, and I’ve told him how I’m going to help us score goals against them. But it’s just banter. It’s a good rivalry. I’m 100 per cent confident that we will go through. Obviously they have a strong team, a strong squad, good players, and they really want to win as well, so it’s not going to be easy. It’s going to be a fight. We have to work really hard and want it more than them. But I have so much confidence in this Nigeria team and the group of lads we have here. I’m very confident we will be at the World Cup.”
Also in the Nigeria group is Ademola Lookman, City’s on-loan winger potentially making his debut for the Super Eagles after switching allegiances from England. Wilfred Ndidi is not there though after he suffered a potentially season-ending knee injury. Iheanacho will go into the game as one of Nigeria’s leading stars, helped by his brilliant end to last season, when his excellent run of form saw him finish as City’s top scorer, on 19 goals, helping them win the FA Cup in the process.
Ademola Lookman said: “I think it was down to hard work. It’s a privilege to be in this team, it’s a lovely squad, great players and coaches. We worked really hard together and we had a great season. We won the FA Cup, which was a big achievement in the club’s history. And for me personally last season was a revelation. I’m really happy that I managed to play a part.”
Papy Mendy is also in action in the World Cup play-offs, with Senegal taking on Egypt in a repeat of the Africa Cup of Nations final. Meanwhile, Jonny Evans is set to feature for Northern Ireland in their friendly with Luxembourg, while Luke Thomas and England Under-21s have a European Championships qualifier against their counterparts from Andorra. Caglar Soyuncu and Turkey take on Portugal in a World Cup play-off on Thursday night.
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