Ivorian Elephants storm Nigeria on Wednesday

CHAN Trophy

A 26-man delegation of the home-based National Team of Cote d’Ivoire
will fly into Lagos on the evening of Wednesday next week, for
Saturday’s 2014 African Nations Championship qualifying match against
their Nigerian counterparts.

The NFF on Thursday received correspondence from
the office of the
General Secretary of Federation Ivoirienne de Football, confirming
that the delegation would arrive the Murtala Muhammed International
Airport aboard an Asky Airline flight at about 6.40pm on July 3.

Cote d’Ivoire hosted the inaugural edition of the African Nations
Championship in 2009, won by Democratic Republic of Congo. Nigeria was
absent at the finals, having been eliminated by Ghana.

The 2011 finals in Sudan also held without Nigeria, eliminated by
Niger Republic, and was won by Tunisia.

Super Eagles’ Team Administrator, Enebi Achor, confirmed on Thursday
that the 24 players invited by Coach Stephen Keshi are all expected to
report at the Bolton White Apartments in Abuja on Sunday.

Saturday’s confrontation at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium will be the first
meeting at senior level between both nations since Nigeria eliminated
tournament favourites Cote d’Ivoire in the quarter finals of the
Africa Cup of Nations finals in South Africa earlier in the year.
Match-winner Sunday Mba is in Nigeria’s 24-man squad.

The Ivorians will depart Nigeria through Lagos on Sunday, less than 24
hours after the encounter.