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Enyeama takes Nigeria into semis
NigeriaN players celebrate winning
their quarterfinals
match against Zambia in Lubango on Monday. — Reuters
LUBANGO, Angola — Nigeria
goalkeeper Victor Enyeama turned Africa Cup of Nations matchwinner by
converting the decisive kick in a 5-4 penalty shootout win over Zambia on
Monday after a goalless quarterfinal. John Obi Mikel, Obafemi Martins,
Obinna Nsofor and Osaze Odemwingie also scored from the spot to give the
‘Super Eagles’ a 100 per cent success rate from five kicks.
Thomas Nyirenda was the unconsolable Zambian at the end after Enyeama saved
his kick — the seventh of the shootout — and Nigeria scraped through despite
having Onyekachi Apam sent off during extra time. The ultra-negative last
quarterfinal of the biennial African football showcase was a massive
disappointment after victories for Ghana, Algeria and Egypt in thrillers.
Defending champions Egypt made the penultimate stage a few hours before
Nigeria thanks to a 3-1 extra-time triumph over Cameroon with 170-cap
midfielder Ahmed Hassan scoring twice for his side and once for his
opponents. Back in the knockout phase of the competition for the first time
since 1996, Zambia had to make two enforced changes from the side that
defeated Gabon to reach the quarter-finals as shock Group D table-toppers.
Defender Chintu Kampamba and midfielder Rainford Kalaba collected two yellow
cards each in the mini-league stage and young French coach Herve Renard
drafted in Hichani Himonde and William Njobvu. Nigeria retained the starting
line-up from their final pool match against Mozambique that delivered an
ultimately convincing 3-0 win and justification that they could go far in
the tournament after a sluggish start.
Jubilant that his pre-tournament promise of a quarterfinals place had been
met, Renard saw the game as a chance to embellish his reputation amid
reports that he desires a more attractive African coaching post. Rival coach
Shaibu Amodu is 10 years older at 51 and under constant stress from public
and media criticism despite just one competitive loss since taking charge of
the national team a third time a couple of years ago.
The countries had come face to face four previous times in the Nations Cup
with Nigeria winning two and Zambia one after a goalless first meeting in
Ghana 32 years ago. And after a goalless first half in this central Angolan
town it was hard to fathom who would prevail this time and book a semifinals
date with the Black Stars of Ghana in Luanda on Thursday afternoon. Chelsea
midfielder Mikel ended a lot of cagey early combat with a sweetly struck
drive after some slick passing, but Kennedy Mweene dived swiftly to his left
and pushed the ball away with a strong one-hand save. — AFP |
