News Rendezvous

The Nigerian super eagles have finally found their wings as they beat host Ivory Coast by a lone goal courtesy of Troost Ekong penalty.

The match was tensed as both teams approached the with cautious respect for each other.

The two African football power house locked horns but it was the super Eagles of Nigeria that came out top against a strong ivorian side playing in a capacity home support after Victor Osinmen was brought down in the 18-yard box, to give the Nigerians a huge head-on in the ’55mins of the game.

The super Eagles were able to hold on to the one goal lead to defeat the Ivorians and go second place on the Group A table standing, behind Equatorial Guinea who in the first match of the day beat Guinea Bissau 4:1 to clinch the top spot of the table.

With Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea standing on 4-points only separated by goal difference and Ivory Coast hotly following the due with 3-points, the fate of the group is far from being decided as all three teams in the group stand a chance of qualifying to the next round of the competition.

In the last game of the group A fixtures, Nigeria must win against Guinea Bissau to maintain an unassailable lead at the top of the group presuming Equatorial Guinea loses or draws against Ivory coast. That permutation might not hold true for the super Eagles if the Equatorial Guineans pulled-off a surprise win against Ivory Coast because both teams would be standing on 7-points each only to be separated by their respective goal margins.

So far, the Equatorial Guineans, have proven that their 1-1 draw against Nigeria was not a fluke as they were able to beat Guinea Bissau by 4-1 goals. So, the Guineans have a point to prove in this competition and a win against the host might not be far from the impossible.

While Ivory Coast must win to stand a chance of qualifying from the group and Equatorial Guinea will be comfortable with a win or a draw, so your guess is as good as mine because the Guineans will be the most comfortable of the two teams needing to hold-off the host to get to 5-point to condemn the host to an early exit out of the competition with 3-points.

Which ever way the next round of fixtures goes, the group is already set for a dramatic clash for the next round of the competition.