Croatian coach says he already knows his starting 11 against Nigeria as Ejide eyes place in squad

CROATIA'S national team coach Zlatko Dalić has revealed that he has already selected the starting 11 he hopes to use in the World Cup opening game against Nigeria on June 16 just as former Super Eagles goalkeeper Austin Ejide says he is keen to make the squad.

Described as the Group of Death, Nigeria and Croatia have been drawn alongside Argentina and Iceland in Group D of the World Cup and face each other in their opening game. Mr Dalić said he knows the first eleven he will use against the Super Eagles, when the two teams face each other at the Kaliningrad stadium on June 16.

”I've got a clue in my head and I think every coach knows the first 11 for the World Cup. However, certainly there is space for one or two changes, so you have to have a vision, so you can do it,” Mr Dalic said.

Croatia have lined up friendlies against Peru and Mexico during the next Fifa window and are wrapping up talks to face an African team with the same playing style as Nigeria in June. Mr Dalic added that he hopes to play an African team in early June around the 8th or 9th before leaving for Russia.

Meanwhile,  Hapoel Hadera goalkeeper, Austin Ejide, has said he will do his best to secure a spot in the Super Eagles team to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Ejide, 33, last featured for Nigeria in a friendly match against Scotland in 2014 but despite playing in Israel’s second tier, Ejide said he is keeping his hopes alive.

Ejide said: “The World Cup? I’ll try my very best until the end of the season but we’ll just have to wait and see. I’ll give my all but it’s up to the Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr.”

With three World Cup appearances to his name, Ejide has been named in three Nigerian World Cup squads. He was [art of the Super Eagles squad in 2002 in Japan and South Korea, 2010 in South Africa and 2014 in Brazil.