Reigning African champions, Super Eagles of Nigeria, have
revived their hopes of qualifying for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations with a
2-0 win over the Red Devils of Congo in Point Noire, Congo.
Meanwhile the two
goals were scored by Villareal striker, Ikechukwu Uche and China-based
Aaron Samuel. The decisive victory was sufficient for the Super Eagles to
avenge a 3-2 defeat they suffered at the hands of the Congolese national
team in Calabar back in September 2014.
The
Congolese team looked fit and ready to crush the Eagles during the first
half, but they crumbled in the second with Nigeria playing more aggressively to
take over the game.The Nigerian side was awarded a penalty from Emmanuel Emenike’s surging run (fouled by the goalkeeper) and Samuel's sweet curling goal for Nigeria’s was the second of the game
Before the match, Congo were second in the Group A standings on seven points from four matches, three points ahead of third-placed Nigeria (only the top two teams guaranteed automatic passage to the tournament proper).
The Red Devils also held the advantage of having beaten the Super Eagles at home 3-2 in the first encounter in September and so the favourable result today means that the Eagles have leapfrogged above the Red Devils into the second place.
Nigeria is billed to play against South Africa for the final qualification match on Wednesday at the newly built Akwa Ibom international stadium with strong hopes of making it to Equatorial Guinea next year.
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