Nigeria Football

South Africa 1 Nigeria 1: Wingless Eagles book AFCON spot

A 1-1 draw between Nigeria and South Africa at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg was good enough to book the Eagles place at the 2019 African Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria got the important point that will take them to the African Cup of Nations for the first time since 2013 when they won it.

Injuries and suspension to Super Eagles players meant Gernot Rohr set out his boys in the 3-5-2 formation to cope with the counter attack from the home team and the absence of his key players.

The Super Eagles started brightly and were rewarded when Samuel Kalu who was deployed as a right wing back in the 3-5-2 formation had his shot deflected into the net of Itumeleng Khune by Buhle Mkhwanazi in the 10th minutes of the game.

The goal was the first the Itumeleng Khune will be allowing into his net in 369 minutes of action.

Bafana Bafana of South Africa got a well deserved equaizer after Percy Tau’s individual Brilliance set up Lebo Mothiba in the 26th minutes of the clash for an easy tap in.

Super Eagles midfielders were in no man’s land and the defenders were thoroughly beaten by Percy Tau movement for the goal.

The home team became stronger after the goal and were by far the better side at the intermission.

Percy Tau continued to torment Eagles defender in the seco d half just as he did in the first but it was the Eagles who had the chance to score but Kelechi Iheanacho fluffed his lines.

The Eagles who only needed a draw confortably sat back and invited pressure from their hosts who kept knocking but couldn’t break the five-man Eagles defence.

Against a run of play, Ahmed Musa put the ball behind the net but the goal was wrongly ruled out for offside just as a goal was ruled out in the first half.

In the end the 1-1 draw was enough to take the Super Eagles of Nigeria to the top of the log and to the AFCON for the first time since 2013.

By; Tope Adefala

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