15 October 2007
Lagos — Nigeria's Super Eagles last night lost the chance to secure a late minute victory over Mexico when Ikechukwu Uche scuffed a penalty awarded a minute into injury time. As at the time the La Liga star blasted his spot kick sky high the game stood at 2-2.
A few seconds after the Mexicans re-stated the game after their penalty escape, the referee ended the contest played at the Estadio Benito Juárez.
However, if the truth must be told Mexico never deserved to lose the game having had a greater percentage of the play and played with more cohesion than the Eagles.
But against the run of play the Africans jumped into the lead in the 32nd minute when a long ball from the Nigerian half found Obafemi Martins on the left he took on the Mexican defenders before rifling home a powerful drive.
Twenty minutes later the same Newcastle striker made it two with a well placed shot past the Latin American safe hands.
But barely had the Nigerians finished celebrating the goal when the Mexicans got back into the game courtesy of some sloppy defending which allowed a floated ball from the right reach the head of Juan Carlos Cacho who headed the ball past the failing arms of Dele Aiyenugba in goal for Nigeria.
In the 68th minute the Mexicans drew level from the spot after Taiye Taiwo's defensive weakness were once again exposed by Mexico's young Barcelona starlet Dos Santos .
Unable to keep pace with the star of Mexico's U-17 World Cup triumph in Peru two years ago, the Holland 2005 silver medal winner brought down his tormentor in the box. The referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Juan Carlos Cacho, unlike Uche later, made no mistake sending Dele the wrong way to tie the game 2-2.
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