By Edet Ikotidem
With the Super Eagles of Nigeria already assured of next-round qualification after topping Group D in Garoua, there are strong indications that the team’s likely opponents in the Round of 16 stage of the tournament will be the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia.
Following another brilliant Super Eagles victory over Sudan on Saturday night and a possible thrashing of Guinea-Bissau in Nigeria’s final Group D game on Wednesday, the possibility of the three-time African champions remaining in the northern Cameroonian city to play Tunisia has increased.
Checks on the fixture last night revealed that Nigeria, based on its current position in Group D, will face the third-best finisher from either Group B, C, or F, where Malawi, Sierra Leone, and Tunisia are currently ranked third.
The knockout phase is set to begin on January 23rd, with Group A in Yaoundé and Group D in Garoua.
As of yesterday evening, after two rounds of matches in the relevant Groups, Leone Stars of Sierra Leone, who rallied to another draw against Elephants of Cote d Ivoire, are third on the log, two points off the draw against Algeria in the opening match.
Malawi, which defeated Zimbabwe 2-1 on Friday, is now third in Group B with three points.
Tunisia also resurrected their qualification hopes after a controversial lone goal loss to Mali with a 4-0 win over hapless Mauritania yesterday.
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With three points, they are on the same level as Malawi, but a win in their final Group F match could see them retain the best third spot among the trio.
They can still move up to the second place and change their path in the knockout phase.
This is determined by the results of the group’s other game.
However, following the defeat of defending champions Algeria by Equatorial Guinea last night, which dropped the North Africans to the bottom of Group E on one point, the possibility of the Riyad Mahrez-led squad finishing third is also possible.
To qualify, Algeria must defeat Ivory Coast by two goals in their final group match.
If Equatorial Guinea defeats Sierra Leone, they will take the lead with five points, leapfrogging Sierra Leone.
The Elephants of Abidjan must draw with Algeria to maintain their five-point lead at the top of the log.
Both the Super Eagles and Tunisia are no strangers to each other should fate bring them together.
At the same stage of the tournament in 2006, Nigeria edged out Tunisia.
