/ 31 January 2000

NIGERIA, MOROCCO LOSE KEY DEFENDERS

NIGERIA and Morocco will both be without suspended key defenders when they meet in the African Nations Cup on Thursday. Moroccan captain and centre-back Nourredine Naybet and Nigerian defender Furo Iyenemi were booked in both the first two series of matches and are automatically suspended for one game. Nigeria lead Morocco in group D on goal difference and a draw on Thursday would take both through to the last eight. They have four points apiece and are three ahead of Congo and Tunisia, who contest the other remaining group match.