Nigeria vs Burkina Faso preview.

NIGERIA
Enyeama
Ambrose, Oboabona, Omeruo, Elderson
Onazi, Mikel, Mba
Ideye, Emenike, Moses
BURKINA FASO
Diakite
Koffi,B. Kone, Koulibaly, Panandetiguiri
D. Kone, Kabore, Rouamba, Pitroipa,
Nacoulma
Bance
The route to qualification for the 2013
Africa Cup of Nations tournament was
different for both sides. While the Super
Eagles walloped Liberia 6-1, the Stallions
needed a stoppage time goal to edge out
the Central African Republic 3-3 on
aggregate scores.
But that is where the difference ends, and
since their 1-1 draw on January 21, both
sides have grown in stature and will now
contest the final of the 2013 edition of the
Nations Cup with a chance to represent
Africa in the Fifa Confederations Cup later
this year in Brazil.
On the road to the final, Nigeria scored 10
goals and conceded four while Burkina Faso
have scored seven and conceded two. Both
have improved but Burkina Faso will be
missing in form striker Alain Traore, who
equalised against Nigeria and scored three
goals during the tournament before picking
up an injury. The good news for the
Burkinabe is that star player Jonathan
Pitroipa has had his red card from their last
match against Ghana rescinded after Caf
decided that his booking was a mistake.
The Nigerians also have injury concerns for
two of their better players – Emmanuel
Emenike, who has scored four goals, and
the chief instigator against Mali, Victor
Moses, who has added two strikes. Burkina
Faso will also have to make changes to their
line-up, with right-back Koffi a major doubt.
But as Jonathan Akpoborie said, “The Eagles
have to continue playing like they did
against Cote d’Ivoire.” That is good advice,
as nothing has been won yet by either team,
and while they are already both commended
for coming this far, history will only
remember the country that wins the title.
For Burkina Faso, this is uncharted territory
and for Nigeria, it is a chance to return to
the high standards of previous years.
DID YOU KNOW?
If the Nigeria win on Sunday, Stephen Keshi
will become the second man to win the
Nations Cup as coach and player after
Egyptian, Mahmoud Al Gohari.
Burkina Faso are into their first ever Nations
Cup finals.
Emmanuel Emenike will be hoping to beat
Mubarak Wakaso to the highest scorer
award - he has three goals to Wakaso's four.
Paul Put has been banned for life from
coaching in Belgium on account of a match-
fixing scandal in 2007.
Moumouni Dagano (pictured) has played in
six Nations Cup tournaments but has only
scored one goal.
Nigeria has played in the final of the Nations
Cup six times and won the trophy on two
occasions - in 1980 and 1994.
Burkina Faso is ranked 92nd in the world by
Fifa while Nigeria is ranked in 52nd place.