Chelsea of England midfieldr,John Mikel Obi and Hapoel Be’er Sheva goaltender, Austin Ejide top the list ‘new’ players Super Eagles head coach,Stephen Keshi has pencilled down for next month’s return leg match of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Liberia in Calabar.
Keshi’s decision to recall the duo among others may not be unconnected with the below-par performance of Eagles first choice shots stopper,Vincent Enyeama whose form of late has been anything but impressive.The recall of Mikel is also based on the need to have an experienced player to take charge of the engine room of the team,the midfield.
Mikel had opted out of the first leg match which ended 2-2 in Monrovia following fears that the match would be played on an artificial turf.
Keshi would later confirm the Chelsea star’s decision and even praised him for confiding in him instead of coming to give a less than 100% performance.
Complete Sports can report that Keshi has spoken to Mikel after the team’s sloppy display in Monrovia and both player and coach discussed the return leg match in Calabar next month.
Our decent source close to Mikel revealed that the Chelsea star is eargerly waiting for the October 8 match at the U.J Esuene stadium which can either confirm Nigeria’s qualification for the African mundial or her successive exclusion after missing out of this year’s edition in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football has announced that the final draw for the South 2013
Orange CAF Africa Cup of Nations will now take place on 24th of October in Durban.
Fifteen teams will join hosts South Africa in the draw and the matches will take place in Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, Rustenburg, Nelspruit and Durban.
The tournament will run from 19th January to 10th February. Zambia is the reigning African Champion of the continent’s biggest sports event.
The Super Eagles face Liberia’s Lone Star next month in Calabar for a place at South Africa 2013. The first leg ended 2-2 last week.
The draw had been initially set for 26th of October prior to this CAF announcement.
Audionigeria
