The
Super Eagles have qualified for the quarterfinals of the ongoing
African Nations Championship after beating hosts South Africa 3-1 at the
Cape Town Stadium. The win gave Nigeria six points from three matches.
The Eagles, who needed a win to progress
from Group A, started slowly but improved as the game wore on. It was
the South Africans who threatened first in the fourth minute when
Bernard Parker shot straight into the hands of Nigeria’s goalkeeper and
captain Chigozie Agbim.
The Nigerians did little to test Moeneeb
Josephs in goal for South Africa as their opponents threatened again in
the 19th minute when the under-fire Nigerian goalkeeper saved a header
off a corner kick. Nigeria’s first real chance of the match resulted in
the first goal. It came in the 22nd minute when Ejike Uzoenyi scored
after a pass had found him in the box from Ifeanyi Ede.
The goal fired up the Eagles, who seemed
to have gotten over the shaky start they had to the tournament, as they
doubled their lead in the 32nd minute after Gbolahan Salami had been
brought down in the box by Josephs. Ede stepped up and dispatched the
resultant penalty kick to bring his tournament tally to two goals.
The Nigerians kept up their impressive
performance in the second half. Bafana Bafana also tried to reduce the
scoreline and brought themselves back into the match but were denied by
the reinvigorated Agbim. Nigeria completed the rout in the 64th minute
when Uzoenyi, who got the Man of the Match award for the second match
running, scored a beautiful left footer after a good team movement by
the Nigerians. Uzoenyi was not done as he hit the bar six minutes later
after another lovely footwork from the Nigerian team.
PUNCH NG
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