Super Eagles has booked their place in the finals in this highly competitive AFCON tournament.
African cup of Nations impact on European football
They sealed their place after a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory against South Africa on Wednesday.
There was a stunning end to normal time as Nigeria led 1-0 and thought they’d scored a second goal before VAR intervened and awarded South Africa a penalty.
Teboho Mokoena scored to send the game into a dramatic extra time but Nigeria recovered to claim victory on penalties.
The two saves from Stanley Nwabali helped Nigeria beat South Africa 4-2 on penalties and booked their place in the final of AFCON. They will now meet Ivory Coast in the final.
Match Analysis.
Nigeria dominated territory early on but struggled to pick holes in South Africa’s well-organised rearguard.
South Africa, meanwhile, targeted the space in behind the Nigeria defence, and that clarity of purpose helped them look the more dangerous side.
The first half, though, was goalless, and Nigeria picked it up thereafter, eventually forging in front when the super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong scored from the penalty spot.
Then, on the 85th minute, they looked to have sealed the game with Victor Osimhen finishing a traffic counter.
But VAR brought play back to the start of the move, finding that Alhassan Yusuf had fouled Percy Tau, and as the clocked ticked over the 90-minute mark, Teboho Mokoena convert it from the spot.
Both sides pushed for a winner in extra time but neither managed it, the match ended in a 1-1 draw after the extra time, and the game was taken to the penalties and though Ola Aina missed Nigeria’s third penalty, Mokoena, Evidence Makgopa and Mothobi Mvala missed South Africa’s first, third and fourth to send the Super Eagles into the final.
Super Eagles should do better
The super Eagles are lucky and privileged to have the best striker in Africa.
Victor Osimhen is not only the best striker in Africa, he is the best player in Africa, and having him should be a decisive advantage for Nigeria.
But they have struggled to score throughout a competition yielding plenty of goals, and he has not looked the threat he is in Serie A.
This is not really Osimhen’s fault. Nigeria are where they are because they have good players; South Africa, on the other hand, stuck with them today because they had a good plan.
Watching Nigeria play, there is no sense of the kind of goal they want Osimhen to score; rather, they are hoping that he gets one at some point.
So he is not making the same runs over and over, or taking up positions repeatedly, because so much of Nigeria’s play is off the cuff.
African cup of Nations impact on European football
But perhaps we saw a change in the second half of the semi-final, because though they did not suddenly emerge for it a perfectly-coached superteam, they did up the intensity which, with the attacking talent they have, gives them a chance against anyone.
If, though, they can spend time between now and the final working on their midfield to build up creative midfielders that would supply ball to osimhen to score you’ll that they will be more goals for him and the team. This might actually serve them well because goals are not coming as easily as they should.
Stanley Nwabali, Man of the match
It is of no doubt that the super Eagles goalkeeper won the man of the match in yesterday’s game.
He has proven to the team and the rest of the world that he’s all out for the tournament.
Nwabali has only conceded two goals since the beginning of the tournament, and making a lot of vital saves which has kept the super Eagles on top.
Nwabali was Solid in the game and saved two penalties in the shoot-out which helped catapult the super Eagles to the final and earned him the man of the match.
Would the super Eagles lift this trophy? This will be decided on Sunday as they battle it out with the host ivory coast.
It’s not going to be an easy feat, the Super Eagles had once beaten them in group stage of the tournament.
Would they allow Nigeria beat them and take the trophy? We shall see about that.
