FIFA Rankings - Eagles Return to Africa's Top Ten

Super Eagles moved up two
places on the latest FIFA
Rankings for the month of July
released Wednesday to return to
the top ten position of African
football.
Nigeria stepped up marginally
from the previous 11th position
of June to occupy the 10th place
while the story was not also
different in the global stage
where Eagles also moved from
the 60th position of last month
to 58th now.
The slight movement may not be
unconnected with the little
successes recorded by Super
Eagles in friendly games, the
Africa Cup of Nations and World
Cup qualification matches.
Elephants of Cote d'Ivoire are
holding on to the top post of the
continent with Ghana, Algeria,
Libya and Mali following in that
order in ranking.
African Cup of Nations defending
champion, Zambia are in the
sixth place with Egypt, Tunisia
and Gabon occupying the
seventh, eighth and ninth places
respectively.
However, Wednesday's ranking
was not the preoccupation of
football chiefs at the Glass House
in Abuja. Thursday's 2013
African Cup of Nations draws in
Johannesburg where the Super
Eagles are going to know their
next opponents in the journey to
the same competition they failed
to qualify for its last edition was
the topic of discussions.
Eagles boss, Stephen Keshi, who
departed Tuesday night for
South Africa along side, NFF
Technical Committee Chairman,
Christopher Green, said while he
is not afraid of any team in the
draws he is hoping for a
favourable draws today.
"No team is too small or too big
in Africa and world football, but
we must avoid some big names
but if at the end of the day we
are drawn against any of the
powerhouses we will have no
option but to ensure that we
qualify. We want a good draw
for the team in the interest of
the nation," he said.
Before the continental
showpiece, 30 nations will be
called to battle over two legs in
the hope of being amongst
those fortunate enough to reach
the finals.
The runner-up of the 28th
edition in Gabon and Equatorial
Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, was of
course exempt from the
previous rounds (preliminary
and first), but must still make it
through the final qualifying
round.
After the draw Thursday in
Johannesburg, the first leg of
fixtures is expected to take place
this coming September, with the
return leg a month later. After
the double confrontation, the 15
winners will join South Africa,
the host nation and thus
automatic qualifier.