After spending Saturday recovering from the exertions of their quarterfinal victory over Angola on Friday, the Super Eagles returned to training yesterday in preparation for Wednesday’s semifinal clash with South Africa.
Camp sources said the team’s doctors spent much of Saturday attending to the injured and other players with various complaints to ensure they were ready to join their mates in training yesterday.
According to thenff.com, the Super Eagles will leave for Bouake tomorrow and have their only official training match stadium in the afternoon.
When Cote d’Ivoire hosted their only previous Africa Cup of Nations finals 40 years ago, Nigeria also played their semifinal match in the city of Bouake, against Egypt.
In what was easily ranked as the match of the tournament, the Pharaohs, led by Mahmoud Al-Khatib and including Taher Abou Zeid, Magdi Abdel Ghani, Ali Shehata, Ibrahim Youssef and goalkeeper Thabet El-Batal, led 2-0 before the half hour. But Stephen Keshi pulled one back from the penalty spot before half time, and then made the inch-perfect pull-out from which Bala Ali netted the equaliser in the second half. Nigeria won the ensuing penalty shootout 8-7.
Nigeria’s squad that day included goalkeeper Peter Rufai, Kingsley Paul, Yisa Sofoluwe, Sunday Eboigbe, Humphrey Edobor, Chibuzor Ehilegbu, Ademola Adeshina, Mudashiru Lawal, Henry Nwosu and Rashidi Yekini.
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