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BATTLE OF THE EAGLES FOR THIRD POSITION

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John Obi Mikel will likely play his final Afcon game for Nigeria.
Photo: Getty Images.
John Obi Mikel will likely play his final Afcon game for Nigeria. Photo: Getty Images.

WHILE presumably still hurting from their respective defeats in the semi-finals, Nigeria and Tunisia have to gather up some strength for a battle for third place at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).

The match will take place at the Al Salam Stadium in Cairo tonight (9pm).

Both sides will be looking to console themselves with victory after suffering heart-breaking losses in the semi-finals at the hands of finalists Algeria and Senegal.

The Super Eagles, who were hoping to book their first final since 2013 when they won the tournament in South Africa, were stunned by a late Riyad Mahrez free kick deep in stoppage time.

In an equally dramatic encounter, the Eagles of Carthage succumbed to a 100th minute own-goal by defender Dylan Bronn against Senegal.

Judging by how close their semi-finals were, the Super Eagles and the Eagles of Carthage will not be separated by much in this encounter.

The match, though, will provide both coaches, Gernot Rohr of Nigeria and Alain Giresse of Tunisia, with the opportunity to give fringe players a run in the tournament.

In what is likely to be his final Afcon tournament, veteran midfielder John Obi Mikel could be one of the players drafted into the starting team.

According to forward Moses Simon, the Super Eagles will bounce back from their semi-final defeat to the Atlas Lions, even though it was a bitter pill to swallow.

“We are very disappointed because I think we didn’t deserve to lose to Algeria,” said Simon.

“We all know how disappointing that defeat was, but we are professionals and we’ll try and put that behind us and fight back.”

However, heading into this clash, Tunisia will draw confidence from the fact that they have a slight edge of the Super Eagles in this tie, historically.

In their 17 meetings, the Eagles of Carthage have won six times compared to the Super Eagles’ five wins

The other six matches finished in draws.

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