Nigeria-Cote d’Ivoire match Sunday - The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Friday confirmed that John Mikel Obi is eligible to play for the Super Eagles in the 2013 AFCON quarter-final match against the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire.
At a joint press briefing by CAF and the Local Organizing Committee of South Africa 2013, held at the Sandton Sun Hotel, Johannesburg, the General Secretary of CAF, Hicham El Amrani, cleared the air, affirming that Mikel was eligible for the match.
He confirmed that it is Fegor Ogude who will miss the encounter. Just before the Super Eagles commenced Wednesday’s training at the Olympic Park Stadium, Coach Stephen Keshi was shocked when SoccerStar dropped the hint that Ogude would miss the Cote d’Ivoire match.
“Has he been given two yellow cards?” he asked in surprise.
Speculations were rife Tuesday night when some international journalists claimed that Mikel was out of Sunday’s game but CAF officials told PANA that Mikel had just a yellow card in the game against Ethiopia.
The CAF General Secretary also reeled out the five players who had obtained two yellow cards and would therefore miss this weekend’s quarter-finals.
Apart from Nigeria’s Fegor Ogude, the others are South Africa’s Anele Ngcongca, Samassa Mahamadou and Togolese players: Dare Nibombe and Jonathan Ayite.
All the other players who obtained a yellow card will have a new beginning from the quarter final stage as the cards are not to be carried over.
Pana 01/02/2013