Nigeria: Eagles Nations Cup Dream Hangs in the Balance

Daily Independent (Lagos)

5 June 2011

Super Eagles hope of qualifying for the 2012 African Cup of Nations hangs in the balance after forcing Ethiopia to a 2-2 draw in one of the qualifiers played on Sunday in Addis Ababa. It was a match Nigeria needed to win to boost its qualification chances, but the result leaves

Super Eagles on seven points and second in the group with Guinea playing Madagascar later on Sunday.

Should Guinea win as expected, it will top the group with 10 points, meaning that Nigeria must win its next two matches with an away match against Madagascar and a home match to Guinea.

Nigeria which took the lead on 26 minutes through Ikechukwu Uche surrendered the lead with four minutes left in the first half when Saladin Seid equalised for the East African nation.

Seid was on target five minutes into the second half only for captain Joseph Yobo to salvage a point for Eagles with his 86 minute equaliser.

Coach Samson Siasia made only two changes to his starting XI from Wednesday’s friendly against Argentina – Ahmed Musa in for Kalu Uche, who was excused to return to his base in Spain, and Peter Utaka preferred to start ahead of Everton striker Victor Anichebe.

New Fenerbache of Turkey striker Emmanuel Emenike did not play a part in this game as he was down with fever.

Meanwhile Zimbabwe beat mali 2-1 also on Sunday while Sudan puts pressure on Ghana beating Swaziland away 2-1. Botswana and Malawi played goalless. Morocco had defeated Algeria 4-0 on Saturday in one of the qualifying matches.

AllAfrica – All the Time