Daily Independent (Lagos)
12 October 2009
Lagos — A late minute goal by Super Eagles' Obinna Nsofor gave the team a win and three points over Mambas of Mozambique at the Abuja National Stadium on Sunday, to keep Nigeria's hope in the 2010 World Cup alive.
The match was in stoppage time, and looked like Nigeria was crashing out of the World Cup qualifiers, before substitute, Nsofor, headed home from six yards after goalkeeper, Joao Kapango, had first kept out Obafemi Martins close-range shot.
Tunisia remains at the top of Group Two with 11 points, after it beat Kenya at home, also by a lone goal ; while Nigeria is second on nine points.
This means that last round of matches next month will now have to determine who qualifies for the World Cup.
Mozambique was resolute from the start, to the utter frustration of the Nigerians, whose fans showed their disappointment for last month's 2-2 draw with Tunisia at the same venue by staying away from the stadium.
Under-fire Nigeria coach, Shuaibu Amodu, made seven changes from the team that started last month's qualifier against Tunisia with Everton striker, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Elderson Echiejile from Rennes, and Switzerland-based Yusuf Mohammed, among the changes.
The game got off to a slow, cautious start as Nigeria went on the attack from the first whistle, while Mozambique tried to keep their shape in defence.
After 10 minutes of action, there was very little to choose between the two teams.
It was not until the 18th minute that the first real shot at goal came, and it was the Mozambicans who would have opened the scores, when skipper, Tico Tico let fly a powerful shot inside the box, only for Nigeria to be saved by the crossbar as the shot crashed against the woodwork and back into play.
The visiting Black Mambas appears to gain in confidence after this close effort, as they began to pass the ball between them, they maintained superior ball possession.
The Super Eagles was forced to make a change in the 29th minute, when right fullback, Yusuf Mohammed limped out to be replaced by Bolton defender, Danny Shittu.
As the match wore on, Nigeria began to really threaten the visitors' goal. First, in the 33rd minute, Michael Eneramo delivered low cross from the right flank, which took a slight deflection inside the box, but goalkeeper, Joao Kapango did well to get a hand to it to deny a lurking Osaze Odemwingie a chance to make hay.
Three minutes later, Odemwingie dribbled into the Mozambican 18-yard box from the left, only for his final ball to be cleared out for a corner by an alert defence.
Groningen midfielder, Oluwafemi Ajilore, thereafter cracked a powerful shot from the edge of the box, which the agile Kapango kept out and ensure the first half ended without a goal.
A minute after the break, Odemwingie's curling free kick was punched away from danger by Kapango.
The Locomotiv Moscow striker had a good chance to get on the score sheet from another free kick after Eneramo was brought down by Mano, but again, Kapango was alive to his responsibilities.
A left-footed shot by Odemwingie in the 82nd minute was blocked by the impressive Mozambican goalkeeper.
In the 87th minute, Obafemi Martins failed to tap home from less than five yards to sum up a sad day for Nigerian football.
But in time added on, the prayer of millions of Nigerians was answered through Nsofor's last-gasp winner.
Meanwhile, Eagles' coach, Shuaibu Amodu, expressed disappointment with the attitude of the Nigerian fans, who booed the departing Eagles as they filed out of the field after the match.
Read comments. Write your own.
Copyright © 2009 Daily Independent. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
All hail the Ivorians. This will be a great confidence booster going to 2010. Share your ideas with us as we head for SA 2010 at www.africaplays.com - Penya Africa!
Active Discussions: Qualifying Teams to the World Cup