JOHANNESBURG: Major rivals South Africa and Nigeria were drawn together yesterday in the first round of the 2014 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
Mali and Mozambique complete a tough Group A in a tournament for home-based footballers to be staged between January 11 and February 1 in South Africa.
The rivalry between South Africa and Nigeria is among the most intense on the continent with the west Africans having a distinct advantage since it began 21 years ago.
More than half the South African side are locals while eight of the 23 Nigerians at the 2013 Confederation Cup in Brazil play at home.
South Africa are competing at the CHAN for the second time n.
It will be the first appearance by the Nigerians, who edged Ivory Coast 4-3 overall in a qualifying thriller to secure a place.
The mini-league will be hosted by Cape Town, as will Group B, which comprises Zimbabwe, Uganda, Burkina Faso and Morocco.AFP
