The match holds at the Cape Town Stadium at 21.00 (7pm Nigerian time) after the opening match of the competition between the hosts, Bafana Bafana of South Africa and the Mambas of Mozambique at 5pm.
Nigeria it will be recalled beat Mali 4-1 in the semi-final of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) enroute to their victory just as Saturday's clash provides the Malians an ample opportunity to avenge the defeat.
Three members of the AFCON winning squad, Chogozie Agbim, Azubuike Egwuekwe and Ejike Uzoenyi
will be on parade for the Super Eagles.
Keshi has however, warned Nigerians not to expect his team to win this time saying that he will miss some of the key players like Sunday Mba and Godfrey Oboabona who have secured foreign clubs after Nigeria's qualification, just as he declared that Nigeria are not going to South Africa to make up the numbers.
Meanwhile coach of South Africa, Gordon Igesund believes the victory over Spain late last year in an international friendly would propel Bafana Bafana to excel at CHAN 2014
“After beating Spain, we should carry on with the habit of winning and [the African Nations Championship] is a type of tournament where it is important for the team to do well,” Igesund told 'City Press'.
The tactician is equally confident based on the strength of his team which composed of players
from the Premier Soccer League (PSL)-Kaizer Chiefs, Bidvest Wits, Mamelodi Sundowns, Moroka
Swallows, Platinum Stars, Bloemfontein Celtic and University of Pretoria.
“The challenge is to get Bafana going to a point that we get into the top eight in Africa so that we can be seeded when the draw for big tournaments is made,” Igesund said.
The hosts will no doubt bank on the experience of goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune alongside Siphiwe Tshabalala and Bernard Parker, among others to go for their first CHAN title after finishing in the quarter-final in their debut two years ago in Sudan.
The Mambas of Mozambique coached by Joao Chissano are well prepared for the tournament with the
players drawn from Liga Muculmana and rivals Costa do Sol who supplied five players each
while Ferroviario de Maputo, Maxaquene and Ferroviario de Beira have three players each.
Mozambique in one of their build up games to CHAN 2104 lost 1-2 loss to the Warriors of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo and the result according to Chissano has exposed his team's weaknesses which would be corrected before the all-important opener against Bafana Bafana.
The debutants bank on experienced players in veteran defender Dario Khan, Miro, Gabito and Alvarito to combine with youngsters in Maninho and Diogo to make a statement in the Rainbow Nation.
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Caption: Goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim.
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