African
champions Nigeria crashed out of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations on
Wednesday after playing a 2-2 draw with Bafana Bafana of South Africa in
Uyo.
Two goals each from Tokelo Rantie and
Sone Aluko in the 43rd, 48th, 67th and 90th minutes respectively,
ensured that Nigeria will not be in Equatorial Guinea to defend the
title, which they won in 2013 after finishing third in Group A with
eight points.
It will be the second time a defending champion will not qualify for the AFCON after Egypt failed to make the Angola 2010 event.
The Eagles could have qualified as the
best third placed team but Congo DR’s 3-1 victory over Sierra Leone in
Group D ensured that they made the journey to the biennial showpiece
with nine points against the Eagles’ eight.
The South Africans, who have yet to beat
Nigeria in a competitive match, started the match with intent to break
the record in the 4th minute when a defensive blunder from Kenneth
Omeruo, who just returned from injury, left Rantie alone with goalkeeper
Vincent Enyeama but the forward could only blaze his effort over the
bar.
Nigeria then picked up pace and were
rewarded with three consecutive chances, the first of which came in the
9th minute but Ahmed Musa’s effort hit the bar with the South African
goalkeeper to beat.
Musa again fritted away chances in the 17th and 18th minute when the keeper blocked his efforts with his legs.
The African champions made wave after wave of attack but could not break the resolute Bafana defence.
Rantie broke the deadlock in the 43rd
minute after a Nigerian defensive error. Rantie’s brace was completed in
the 48th minute when another defensive blunder left him alone with
Enyeama and the forward made no mistake to score his seventh goal in 26
appearances for the country.
Coach Stephen Keshi threw in Sone Aluko
for Raheem Lawal as the Eagles searched for goals and his change paid
off in the 67th minute when the substitute scored his first
international goal for Nigeria after an Ikechukwu Uche effort had
bounced off the upright.
South Africa were reduced to 10 men in
the 69th minute after Reneilwe Letsholonyane was sent off for a second
bookable offence but the Eagles failed to capitalise on the deficit.
Aluko completed his brace in the 93rd
minute of added time when his left-footed shot beat Darren in the South
African goal to ensure that Nigeria maintained its unbeaten record
against South Africa in a competitive match.
South African coach, Ephraim Mashaba, praised the effort of his lads.
Mashaba told Supersport, “We
tried. The boys did everything that needed to be done till the referee’s
optional time. Nigeria were just lucky to still be able to hold the
unbeaten record against us because they equalised in the dying minutes
of the game. They are a good side and such was expected from them
because most of their players play outside the country.”
Comments
Post a Comment
Hello