Football Nigeria -- Eagles Etcetera

Manager Jose Peseiro asking "What happened with the energy!" Abidjan -- Ivory Coast won their third AFCON by beating Nigeria 2-1 in front of a capacity crowd.  It was a deserved win as they dominated Nigeria completely in a way that they never mustered in any of their previous encounters at this AFCON. In the end, the Ivoreins should be sending a "Thank You" card to Morocco who had revived their AFCON campaign. Ivory Coast was left for dead and out of this competition at the group stage until Morocco offered them a lifeline to the knockout stage with a 1-0 win over Zambia. The Ivoreins took the lifeline with grace and in the end, their assistant Manager who replaced a fired Manager Jean-Luis Gasset led them to an unlikely campaign. It was a campaign riddled with late escapes and eventually a totally dominant final against Nigeria. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ivory Coast won their third AFCON by beating Nigeria 2-1 in front of a capacity crowd.  . . . In the

Bouake, IVORY COAST -- Stanley Nwabali, invited at the last moment to rescue Nigeria at the AFCON, after Nigerian managers repeatedly turned their attention to Europe, became the man to lift Nigeria into an African Cup of Nations championship game following a decade of despair. Nwabali, put up a spectacular display, during the penalty kick shoot out, after a match where he displayed impeccable sweeping from the back to pushback South Africa's attempt at an upset. The South Africans, filled with players from Mamelodi Sundowns, dominated the ball for long periods but it ended in heart break city. A few days ago, their goalkeeper had saved penalty-kicks to push South Africa through and in the game against Nigeria, they went into a game-delay strategy as extra time dwindled and they felt confident. After all, their goalkeeper will prove spectacular in another shootout. Instead, it was goalkeeper Nwabali who stole the show. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Stanley Nwabali, invited at th

Alex: The maestro that commanded the middle today...... Abidjan, I-COAST…..Ademola Lookman’s shot, off a Moses Simon cross, decided the game against Angola 1-0 as Nigeria romped into the semi final of the AFCON. Nigeria was last at this stage more than a decade ago. Today, there was little doubt that Nigeria deserved the win as they created better chances than the Angolans who gave their all searching for their own historical moment. Angola was the livelier team earlier on. In fact, they could have gone ahead after just 8 minutes, but Nwabali turned a close Angolan opportunity into the corner. Nwabali clearly is making his mark in this tournament, he has given Nigeria the confidence that it lacked in the last couple of years. His command of the goal area has been top notch and today he produced his trademark long throw that led to what could have been Nigeria’s second goal. The long throw from his goal area found Osimhen who was fouled. The ensuing free kick saw Osimhen head into the