Nigeria’s Super Eagles on Thursday in Abidjan, Ivory Coast played the Cheetahs of Republic of Benin securing a 1-1 draw to go four points ahead in group D of the AFCON qualifiers.
Super Eagles adopted an unprofitable 5-2-3 tactics that deprived her attackers getting the ball. The tactics was to checkmate the threat of the former Eagles Manager now managing the Cheetahs, Gernot Rhor of taking advantage of known problems of the Eagles Defence.
The wise and sleekly Cheetahs still got the Eagles when Nigerian born Junior Olaitan floated a good pass to Tijani Mohammed in the 16th minute which went past the two legs of Nigeria’s Goalie, Nwabali.
Nigeria played tiki-taka football stringing 553-255 passes and holding the ball in 69-31% ball possession but the Cheetahs kept piling pressure on the Nigerian defence with 12-5 shots at goal and a Nigerian defence that conceded 1-6 corner kicks while the Nigerian attackers were in 6-1 offside calls.
Simon Moses changed the game on his coming selling dummies to four Cheetahs in a row and his cross pass found the head of Victor Osimhen who scored in the 81st minute. It was Osimhen’s 23rd goal in 38 appearances for the Super Eagles.
Libya made a counter attack to score a lone goal that depressed Rwanda at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Libya earlier this evening.
Al Qulaib sent a pass to Fahd Saad Mohammed who scored in the 84th minute while the Rwandans were busy raiding the Libyans for a goal.
It was a match soccer pundits were surprised Rwanda lost having dominated in all departments with 24-4 shots at goal; 6-2on target; having 57-43% ball possession while stringing 360-294 passes and securing 13-4 corner kicks.
The winning formulae for Libya is that while Rwanda was not clinical in their shots at goal, their attackers were so busy clearing every incursion into their territory with a 40-8 clearances; made 5-0 blocks of attempts at goal and the Libyan Keeper had 6-1 saves while Libya got 4-1 yellow cards for the rough play.
The Libyans had on arrival in Kigali raised a protest that Rwanda did not take care of them because their hotel was in darkness from a public power supply cut that went for more than 48 hours. The Libyans had to make private arrangements the report said but it was not clear whether the Libyans formerly petitioned CAF but with this victory protest will not be necessary than to concentrate on Match Day 6.
The 1-1 draw though more advantageous to the Super Eagles who is topping the group D table with 11 points scoring 8 goals and allowing Tijani Mohammed to dent their clean sheet record with that goal is the only team that has qualified for the 35th African Cup of Nations scheduled for Morocco next year.
Benin is 2nd on the table with 7 points scoring 7 goals and conceding 7 goals; Rwanda is 3rd with 5 points scoring 3 goals and conceding 6 goals while Libya is now upgraded with 4 points scoring 3 goals and conceding 7 goals.
Four players with two goals each are reckoned to be highest scorers in group D. They are Andreas Hountondji of Benin Republic; Steve Mounie also of Benin Republic; Ademola Lookman of Nigeria and Innocent Nshuti of Rwanda.
Monday 18th November will decide which team goes to AFCON finals with Nigeria in group D as Nigeria hosts Rwanda in Uyo and Libya hosts Benin Republic in a decisive match in Tripoli. All matches to be played simultaneously at 5pm.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.
