Nigeria Football

Wasteful CHAN Eagles pip Angola to set up Sudan clash

Gabriel Okechukwu goal in the second half of the extra time ensured wasteful CHAN Eagles made it through to the semifinal of CHAN 2018 at the expense of the Palancas Negras of Angola on Sunday.

Back at Tangier where they played their first-two games having played their last group C game against Equatorial Guinea at the Stade Adrar in Agadir last Tuesday the CHAN Eagles made the most of the familiar terrain.

Against run of play, the Palancas Negras took the lead in the 55th minute through Felix Vladimir but Anthony Okpotu who missed countless chances equalized for Nigeria in 91st minute of the game before an individual brilliance from second-half substitute Gabriel Okechuckwu who himself missed a wonderful chance won the tie for Nigeria in the second-half of the extra time.

The CHAN Eagles were lucky to make it through considering the many chances missed by the players, as early as the first 20 second of the game they could have gone up but Tony Okpotu who should score decided to fall in the box with just the goalkeeper to beat.

Just when the teams were settling into the game after the missed chance, Nigeria lost Kalu Orji to an injury in the 13 minute of the game, he was replaced by Timothy Timothy.

In the 16th minute Anthony Okpotu wasted another glorious chance to put Nigeria in front, few minutes after he missed that he then missed another.

Again at the beginning of the second half Anthony Okpotu missed another chance to put Nigeria in front in the 50th minute of the encounter, 5 minutes after his miss Felix Vladimir put Angola in front.

Timothy Danladi with the poor clearance that comes off Felix Vladimir’s chest and into the net beyond Ezenwa.

It was all the Angolans after they took the lead and could have gone up but were denied by Ezenwa each time. Gabriel Okechukwu had presented a chance to equalize for Nigeria in the 83rd minute but he missed a chance begging to be converted.

At last, after many wasted chances, Okpotu equalized for Nigeria. Rabiu Ali flicks the back header towards Okptotu, who did well to keep his eye on the ball and stabbed home from the closest of range.

At full time it ended 1-1 and again during the first half of the extra time Okpotu and co continued to miss their chances while Ezenwa kept denying the Angolans.

The breakthrough eventually came when Okechukwu individual brilliance won the game for Nigeria in the second half of the extra time.

Up next for the Eagles is a clash against Sudan in the semi-final on Wednesday in Marrakech.

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