World Cup pair opens Nations Cup run

BAMAKO (Reuters) -- World Cup contenders Nigeria and Tunisia head the list of competitors on a busy Monday at the African Nations Cup finals when four matches will be played in a single day for the first time.

The Nigerians, runners-up at the last finals two years ago, meet Algeria in Bamako's new March 26th stadium fielding a star-studded cast that puts them firmly among the favorites for the title.

Monday also marks the first game for Tunisia, who have been hard hit by an injury crisis that has left them with no recognizable striker.

The north Africans, who have never won the Nations Cup, play Zambia also in Bamako, but at the smaller Modibo Keita stadium which has been overhauled for the event.

Former winners Ghana and Morocco square up in group B in Segou while Ivory Coast meet fellow West Africans Togo in their group C clash in Sikasso.

Nigeria, playing their first match since a friendly against Japan in October, have been allowed to draft in Swiss-based midfielder Wilson Oruma in a last-minute change for defender Emeka Ifejiagwa, from German club VfL Wolfsburg.

Nigeria have also been permitted to register all 22 squad members despite missing the deadline.

Nations Cup rules state that a country which fails to submit its squad seven days before the tournament will be penalized by the withdrawal of two players, but officials have offered no explanation on why Nigeria has not been sanctioned.

Opening draw

The game against Algeria is the second in group A, following the draw between hosts Mali and Liberia in the tournament's opening game on Saturday.

Tunisia's attacking dilemma has been caused by injuries to their normal striking partnership. Ali Zitouni has been out for several months and his regular partner in the national team, Ziad Jaziri, pulled out earlier this week after being injured in training.

This leaves new coach Henri Michel to rely on the inexperienced Bassam Daasi and Jamel Zabi, both of whom made their international debuts last month, with the uncapped Mehdi Nafti as back-up.

Ghana are battling injuries to five players ahead of their match against Morocco, whose coach Humberto Coelho took Portugal to the semifinals of Euro 2000.

The Ivory Coast debut at the tournament with a full-strength side led by the goal scoring acumen of Ibrahima Bakayoko, the Marseille man who has a prolific strike rate for his country.

Bakayoko regards the Nations Cup as the perfect opportunity for the Ivorians to make up for the disappointment of missing out on qualification for the World Cup, where they were edged out by Tunisia.

"In fact, if you gave me the choice between World Cup qualification or winning the Nations Cup, I'd like to raise the Nations Cup," Bakayoko said.

 

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