Eaglets soar over Argentina to book passage
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- Category: Sports
- Written by David Ngobua
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Eaglets proved book makers wrong as they beat championship favourites, Argentina 2-1 yesterday at the Tafawa Balewa Stadium Bauchi to book their place in the knockout stages as group winners.
Argentina, who went into the game already, assured of qualification now settle for second place in the group as other group opponent Germany who beat Honduras in Abuja will have to wait for other group matches to know if they will progress among the best losers.
Nigeria’s first game away from the capital began at a torrid pace witnessed early shock for the teeming fans as it took less than three minutes for the Argentines to draw the first blood in the match.
After quite a nice build-up, Argentina’s Esteban Orfano took control of the ball, burst into the area and slammed a left-footer home to stun silence from the home crowd.
The stunned Bauchi faithful didn’t have long to wait for their beloved Golden Eaglets to draw level when, in the fifth minute, a corner kick was flicked on expertly at the near post by Kenneth Omeruo, for Omoh Ojabu to push home from six yards out.
Moments after Eaglets got the vital equalizer, both sides slowed down the tempo of the match even as the fans had a lot to cheer from both teams.
A forced change was made by the Nigerian side when scorer for Eaglets, Omoh Ojabu twisted his knee and was replaced by Sani Emmanuel who missed a setter in two minutes after he came on. Shortly after, the Argentine keeper was at work again when he pushed Ramon Azeez’s dangerous snap shot from 30 yards around the post.
The Nigerians began the second half hunting a winner and putting Argentina on the back foot. Finally, after multiple waves of attack, they got the breakthrough they needed when Federico Rasmussen hauled down Olarenwaju Kayode in the penalty area. Substitute Emmanuel, of all people, stepped up bravely to make amends for his profligate earlier miss to hammer home a perfect penalty and make it 2-1 for the hosts.
With yesterday’s victory, Eaglets are now in the knock out stage as winners of Group A which had other countries like Argentina, Honduras and Germany.
While Nigeria and Argentina have booked their places in the knock out stage, Germany who beat Honduras 3-1 in Abuja will wait to see if they will also progress out of the group.
Eaglets soar over Argentina to book passage
Category: Sports Written by David Ngobua Hits: 493
Eaglets proved book makers wrong as they beat championship favourites, Argentina 2-1 yesterday at the Tafawa Balewa Stadium Bauchi to book their place in the knockout stages as group winners.
Argentina, who went into the game already, assured of qualification now settle for second place in the group as other group opponent Germany who beat Honduras in Abuja will have to wait for other group matches to know if they will progress among the best losers.
Nigeria’s first game away from the capital began at a torrid pace witnessed early shock for the teeming fans as it took less than three minutes for the Argentines to draw the first blood in the match.
After quite a nice build-up, Argentina’s Esteban Orfano took control of the ball, burst into the area and slammed a left-footer home to stun silence from the home crowd.
The stunned Bauchi faithful didn’t have long to wait for their beloved Golden Eaglets to draw level when, in the fifth minute, a corner kick was flicked on expertly at the near post by Kenneth Omeruo, for Omoh Ojabu to push home from six yards out.
Moments after Eaglets got the vital equalizer, both sides slowed down the tempo of the match even as the fans had a lot to cheer from both teams.
A forced change was made by the Nigerian side when scorer for Eaglets, Omoh Ojabu twisted his knee and was replaced by Sani Emmanuel who missed a setter in two minutes after he came on. Shortly after, the Argentine keeper was at work again when he pushed Ramon Azeez’s dangerous snap shot from 30 yards around the post.
The Nigerians began the second half hunting a winner and putting Argentina on the back foot. Finally, after multiple waves of attack, they got the breakthrough they needed when Federico Rasmussen hauled down Olarenwaju Kayode in the penalty area. Substitute Emmanuel, of all people, stepped up bravely to make amends for his profligate earlier miss to hammer home a perfect penalty and make it 2-1 for the hosts.
With yesterday’s victory, Eaglets are now in the knock out stage as winners of Group A which had other countries like Argentina, Honduras and Germany.
While Nigeria and Argentina have booked their places in the knock out stage, Germany who beat Honduras 3-1 in Abuja will wait to see if they will also progress out of the group.