Thursday 17 January 2013

FIFA ranking: Nigeria gets boost ahead Nations Cup

Super Eagles of Nigeria on Thursday got a boost from FIFA just days ahead of the kickoff of its Nations Cup campaign as it was placed ninth in Africa on the latest rankings released by the international football body.
The Eagles that was previously ranked tenth on the continent moved up a place to ninth even though its global ranking remained 52nd.
Ivory Coast remained the best team in Africa while Algeria maintained its second spot even though it dropped three places in the world. Mali also stayed on third and Ghana on fourth though it moved four places up in the world while Africa's defending champions Zambia retained its fifth position even though it dropped five places on the global rankings. Libya moved six places up in the world to place sixth on the continent while Gabon dropped the same number of places to in the world to place seventh.
New African football sensation, Central African Republic (CAR) is now eighth on the continent, a place up from its previous ninth position while Tunisia dropped eight places to the tenth position on the continent and 53rd in the world.
The Eagles will tango with the Zambians in its second group match. It will play Burkina Faso in its first game on Monday, January 1 just as Zambia tackles Ethiopia.
The Eagles that landed in South Africa on Thursday afternoon is hoping to qualify from Group C and take a shot at the title that it wants to win for a third time. Pundits have tipped the team to finish in the first two alongside Zambia.

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