AFCON 2013: Nigeria and Ethiopia Play In A Winner Takes All Match!

By Arinze Ude. Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg will be the venue when the Super Eagles of Nigeria take on the Black Lions of Ethiopia in a winner takes all encounter on Tuesday night by 18:00 (Nigerian time). Nigeria is going into the game seeking their first win after surrending their lead against Burkina Faso and Zambia respectively in their previous games while Ethiopia is looking to bounce back from the 4-0 demolition by Burkina Faso in their last outing and are rooted to the bottom of the group with a point. The Super Eagles sit in second place in Group C with two points, two behind Burkina Faso who play Zambia in the other Group C match. Nigeria will be buoyed by the return of their captain Joseph Yobo, who missed the game against Zambia due to an injury. Victor Moses will face a late fitness test to ascertain whether he will play a part in the game. The Ethiopians lost their mercurial captain and scorer of their only goal so far, Adane Girma to a leg injury in the game against Burkina Faso. Adane and Asrat Mergasa (knee injury) also face a late fitness test. Ethiopia coach Sewnet Bishaw stated: “Before the match I will tell my players to play football and to gain experience out of a huge team like Nigeria. We are here to play football and everybody is surprised by our football. Our mission is to show the rest of the world that we can play football. That is the message to my players.” Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi also said: “I am standing by my players, especially John Obi Mikel after his penalty miss against Zambia. We have all to play for against Ethiopia and my wish is that we build a commanding lead and hold it.”   PROBABLE LINEUPS NIGERIA (4-3-3): Enyeama – Omeruo, Yobo, Ambrose, Elderson – Igiebor, Mikel, Ogude – Musa, Emenike, Brown ETHIOPIA (4-4-2):  Tadele – Hailu Reda, Debebe, Tesfaye, Bogale – Zinabura, Beyene, Adis, Bekele – Saladin, Assefa