The Super Eagles could have ended up winning Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier away to Cape Verde more than 2-1 had the trio of skipper Ahmed Musa, winger Chidera Ejuke, debuting midfielder Innocent Bonke and substitute striker Henry Onyekuru been able to convert scoring opportunities that came their way.
However, megasportsarena.com reports, on an evening a 30th minute strike by Victor Osimhen and second half own goal by one of the hosts’ players made a world of difference, lost chances from Musa, Onyekuru, Bonke and Ejuke counted for nothing.
Such it was that Osimhen’s equalizer, after The Blue Sharks went ahead in the 20th minute, helped Nigeria snatch all three points in their second match of Group C in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
That was despite it initially looking like Gernot Rohr’s side would leave Estádio Municipal Adérito Sena, Mindelo in defeat, after Dylan Tavares pounced on a lofted pass from midfield and beat the Nigerians’ offside trap and hit the ball past Maduka Okoye in goal.
It was Ejuke that first went close to equalising for the Eagles in the 28th minute, but his rasping shot was brilliantly parried away for a corner kick by Cape Verde’s goalkeeper, Vozinha.
He also excelled after Osimhen presented a scoring chance for Musa in the 56th minute with a great cross but the captain’s ensuing shot was tame and easily gathered by the shot-stopper.
Osimhen restored parity two minutes later, when he finished from close range after the hosts’ goalkeeper failed to claw away the ball effectively when one of his players deflected goal bound a cross by Jamilu Collins.
The highlight of the second half came when Kenny Santos, under pressure from Onyekuru, gifted the Nigerians a goal when his horrible back pass in the 76th minute beat Vozinha who was out of his lines.
Just before the final whistle went, Julio Tavares’s 88th minute header almost beat Okoye but the ball agonizingly cannoned off the foot of the post and rolled out for a goal kick.
All said, Nigeria simply held their nerve and fought gamely to take three points on the road and stay top of Group C in the race to Qatar 2022.
