Nigeria
on Wednesday lost to eternal West African rivals, Ghana in a semi-final
match of the African Nations Championship holding in South Africa.
The Super Eagles, who started the match
as favourites following their dramatic quarter-finals win, lost to a
10-man Black Stars 4-1 in the penalty shootout. Both sides had played
0-0 at full time and the extra 30 minutes at the Free State Stadium in
Bloemfontein. The penalty kicks finally separated both sides from the
final and third place matches.
Ghana will face Libya in the final match
on Saturday while the Eagles will play Zimbabwe in the third-place
match. Libya had also defeated Zimbabwe 5-4 earlier via penalty shootout
after both sides settled for a goalless match.
The tension soaked match saw the Eagles
showing their intention to progress to the final from the first blast of
the whistle. The Ghanaians were also no lay backs as they matched the
Nigerians man for man but they hardly threatened Chigozie Agbim in the
Nigerian goal.
Nigeria’s best chance of the half came
in the 26th minute when Mohammed Abubakar crashed a rasping shot against
the Ghanaian post. It was end to end stuff in the second half but the
Eagles had better goal scoring chances.
The Stars were reduced to ten men in the 70th minute when Kwabena Adusei was sent off for a second bookable offence.
However, the Nigerians could not
capitalise on the numerical advantage as they frittered away chances,
with substitute Barnabas Imenger the main culprit.
The wastefulness continued in the extra
time with the best chance coming in the 120th minute as the Ghanaian
goalkeeper saved a goal bound Ugonna Uzochukwu header and the Ghanaians
defended staunchly to take the game into penalties.
Ejike Uzoenyi scored Nigeria’s first
spot kick to give the Keshi led boys a hope of qualification. But the
Ghanaian goalkeeper, Stephen Adams, loomed large to save Solomon
Kwambe’s spot kick.
Uzochukwu confirmed the Ghanaian place
in the final when he sent his kick way over the bar before Ghana
converted their last kick to proceed into Saturday’s final.
Ghana will play Libya in Saturday’s
final. The last meeting between the two sides was at the semi-final of
the 1982 Nations Cup where Libya lost to Ghana on penalties.
The 2014 is the third edition of the
competition reserved for players in their various countries domestic
leagues. Eagles are featuring for the first time having failed to
qualify in the previous years.
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