The crunchy match was played on Thursday after group rival Equatorial Guinea defeated Guinea Bissau 4-1
Browsing: Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire
The Elephants celebrated a 2-0 win over Guinea Bissau’s Wild Dogs on the opening day of the tournament
The move followed Congo’s demand that their scheduled qualifier in Nigeria next weekend be moved to a neutral venue because they are reluctant to travel to a country where there have also been deaths from the deadly virus
“We cannot afford to take our feet off the pedal because we have won here, the Ivorians are a very good side and we must be very ready for the return leg so that we don’t get shocked,” Keshi enthused
Mba had a hand in all the four goals scored by Nigeria before a capacity crowd in Kaduna as he netted a brace and also provided two assists for his teammates
Coach Norbert Saraka has picked 18 players for the encounter that starts at 4pm at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium
After to a barren first half, the Ivorians came out smoking in the second stanza and got a deserving lead via a spot kick converted in the 49th minute by Wilfried Bony
The pre-tournament favourites were knocked out of the Africa Cup of Nations at the quarter-final stage earlier this month, after losing 2-1 to eventual winners Nigeria
But by claiming their third title, Nigeria (30th, up 22) have not only ended a 19-year drought since they last won the tournament, but have also climbed 22 places to 30th – their best ranking since August 2010 – while beaten finalists, Burkina Faso (55th, up 37), have moved up a massive 37 places to 55th. Hosts South Africa (60th, up 25) have also enjoyed a significant leap of 25 places
Eyewitnesses said the deceased was rushed to a private hospital, Success Medical Clinic, following his collapse at Promise Stadium, a viewing centre located at Lanlepe compound, Oke-Sokori
In a sportsmanship spirit, the former Chelsea striker admitted that Nigeria deserved the victory
In comparison, the Ivorians, so well-fancied before the tournament, looked laborious and lethargic – their casual approach matching the unprofessional nicknames on some of their shirts
Keshi said on Saturday that he expects his team to give its all and come out tops in what is being projected as a spectacle
Keshi was reacting to the news making the rounds that Nigerians were scared of the confrontation with the Ivorien Elephants