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South Africa/Nigeria: Nigeria Peck South Africa Thrice, Land in Beijing
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Vanguard (Lagos)
27 March 2008
Posted to the web 27 March 2008
Onochie Anibeze
Lagos
Nigeria yesterday jabbed South Africa 3-0 to book a place for the male soccer event of the Beijing Olympics. Falcons, the female team had already done so.
But Nigeria's hope of any meaningful outing is on the Samson Siasia led team. However, the way South Africa tossed the ball around them yesterday meant there was still much work to be done by Siasia and the rest of his technical crew.
South Africa really enjoyed the game. They had nothing at stake and had fun even in defeat. With short passes, they ran rings around the Nigerians, showing better team work but lacking in direct approach and the power to finish the runs they were making. They could not combine their short passes with long ones and the explosion they needed to score and match what they were doing in the middle.
On the Nigerian side, their mobility was suspect. They could not make runs to open up the game and they appeared to be choking themselves. Because runs were not being made, the defenders were forced to resort to long balls many of which ended poorly. But still, they appeared more purposeful because on the occasions they attacked they were direct even if not effective.
It continued that way and their goal came 15 minutes to the end of the first half. It had to come the way it did. A beautiful corner from the right by Kennedy Chinwo was headed in by Taiye Taiwo, a player who does much offensively but scares fans with his
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