TheCable

The Nigeria Football Federation have announced that the 2016 African Nations Championship first leg qualifier between the home-based Super Eagles and the Etalons of Burkina Faso will now take place on Saturday instead of the earlier advertised Sunday.

The venue remains the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, with kick-off scheduled for 4pm.

The Confederation of African Football have appointed Boubou Traore from Mali as referee for the encounter. Traore’s compatriots Bobo Yomboliba, Boubacar Kinta and Harouna Coulibaly will serve as assistant referee one, assistant referee two, and reserve referee respectively. While Pedro De Morais Neto, from Angola, will be match commissioner.

Meanwhile, 25 players are battling for shirts in Port Harcourt under the tutelage of assistant coaches Salisu Yusuf and Alloy Agu.

There are goalkeepers Femi Thomas, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, David Obiazor and Okemute Odah, defenders Chima Akas, Austin Oboroakpo, Kalu Orji, Solomon Kwambe, Idris Aloma, Samson Gbadebo, Jamiu Alimi and Stephen Eze, midfielders Abdulrazak Aliyu, Ifeanyi Mathew, Paul Onobi, Usman Mohammed, Bature Yaro and Osas Okoro, and forwards Ezekiel Bassey, Chisom Chikatara, Tunde Adeniji, Prince Aggrey, Bright Onyedikachi and Dayo Ojo.

The winner over two legs between Nigeria and Burkina Faso will be eligible for a place at the 4th African Nations Championship taking place in Rwanda in 2016.

Nigeria failed to qualify for the first two editions of a competition reserved for senior players plying their trade in their country’s domestic league, but won bronze medal at the third edition held in South Africa in 2014.