Nigeria - Congo 0
: 0
Before
the match
Nigeria
started their first match against Tunisia nervously, like their Captain
Sunday Oliseh confessed. But thanks to the scoring ability of their impact
players they found their form in the second half. Okocha and Ikpeba scored
twice and Kanu was brilliant in how he set up those scoring.
But
again reports of unpaid hotel bills and rows about unpaid bonusses came
up in the news yesterday - will the same problems spoil their campaign
again
>
see the Nigeria preview, an attempt
to evaluate their chances from distance
On
paper the match should be no problem for Nigeria: players from Milan, Arsenal,
Juventus, PSG etc against an opponent with some players from lower division
teams at Europe. But Congo has put up a brave performance against Morocco
and Rolf-Christel Guie-Mien could thrill his fans again.
Nigeria
should win the match but do not expect a high margin.
> Nigeria
- Tunisia match report
> Morocco
- Congo match report
With a Nigerian victory,
Nigeria could already be formally qualified for the quarterfinals and/or
Congo eliminated, but this will depend on the outcome of the Morocco-Tunisia
clash.
Reuters:
Nigeria: 1-Ike Shoronmu;
2-Gbenga Okunowo, 3-Celestine Babayaro, 4-Nwankwo Kanu, 5-Furo Iyenemi,
6-Taribo West, 7- Finidi George, 10-Austin Okocha, 11-Garba Lawal, 15-Sunday
Oliseh, 20-Victor Ikpeba
Congo: 1-Brice Samba; 3-Luc-Arsene
Diamesso, 4-Jean-Sylvestre, 5-Camille Oponga, 6-Bedel Moyimbouabeka, 7-Richard
Bokatola-Lossombo, 11-Oscar Ewolo, 12-Macchambes Younga Mounhani, 14-Rolf-Christel
Guie Mien, 15-Toussaint Service, 21-Jules Tchimbakala
C.A.F.:
Referee:
Felix Tangawarima (ZIM)
Ass.
Referees: Endeng Zogo (CMR) & Salie Achmat (RSA)
Reserve
referee: Alex Quartey (GHA)
1st
half
-('7)
Kanu and Okocha display their class
-('12)
Nigeria a class ahead, but Congo closer to the lead: Nigerian keeper Shoronmu
misses a corner and a Congolese attacker heads the ball a bit too soft
so that a defender can stop it on the line
-('13)
Congo: Shoronmu saves a close range shot - with a striker like Ikpeba or
Kanu, Congo would lead this
flamboyant
Nigerian game when in ball possession
-('17)
Nigeria: Kanu is blocked in the last moment
-('18)
Congo: A Guie-Mien shot is a problem for Shorunmu beacuse of the ground
-('18)
Nigeria: Okocha answers wide
-('20)
Congo: Guie-Mien sets up a wing attack that leads to a dangerrous shot
saved
-('21)
Nigeria: Finidi George answers with causing some scare along the right
wing
Nigeria
dominates but they allow Congo too many scoring opportunities
-('28)
Congo: This could have been a goal- a flying header from a bit difficult
angle flies wide after a counter attack along the right wing
-('33)
Nigeria: Congolese keeper misses ball and Ikpeba almost can profit
-('37)
Congo: The up-to-here brilliant Guie-Mien is substituted - probably injury
Congo
is not a team that can easily replace a key player
-('39)
Nigeria: Lawal and Kanu on the left wing create a dangerous situation,
but Ikpeba is denied a shot
Halftime
- 0:0
It
looked like the Nigerians reassured themselves during the first 10 Minutes
they are one class ahead and then started to let the Congolese play. And
Congo had the bigger opportunities, but lacked of the lethal strikers of
their opponents. They wasted their set piece situations like in the first
match and since their most conspicious player Guie-Mien was substituted
they have not had a single opportunity.
2nd
half:
-('47)
Kanu goes down in the penalty area - but referees says no penalty
-('54)
Nigeria: Congo had managed to run a pair of attacks but now Nigeria is
more dangerous
-('60)
Congo: Younga Mouhani who has just being booked commits a sillyy holding
but gets away without a second yellow card, he is in danger now
It
looks more and more that the match might end with a narrow Nigerian victory:
Congo looks to lack scoring impact (something Nigeria has) and starts to
lose some concentration. Nigeria defends more concentrated than in first
half.
-('67)
Congo: Younga-Mouhani is substituted
-('73)
Nigeria: 25 meter rocket by Oliseh misses goal close
-('74)
Congo: Huge scene after a deflected centered ball from the left side, Furo
Iyenemi blocks a shot that otherwise might have gone into goal
Congo
has had off two days less, will it affect the final 15 minutes?
-(82)
Congo: #11 Ewolo gets a free kick 25 meters distance - wil they make something
out of it this time?
-('83)
no- it's into the wall
-('88)
still good defending by Congo, and they are still tring to attack and not
to play time
-('90)
Nigeria: dangerous moment as Babangida ´breaks through on the right
side but the keeper can intercept the ball into the center
('injury
time) Nigeria creates a lot of pressure and a dangerous moment when Akwuegbu
almost scores but a defender sitting on the line heads it to a corner
('injury
time) A Nigerian player is in danger of getting hit as he wants to shoot
a corner kick and bottles come flying on the pitch
Final
result - 0:0
The
heat may have helped Congo. They play a neat style. All they lack is some
scoring impact - they have yet to score a goal in this competition. Nigeria
did not look like using all energy reserves.
With
only one point the Congolese chances are slim but there can be said more
after the Morocco-Tunisia match (if Morocco wins, Morocco and Nigeria will
be in the quarterfinals - if not, everything will still be possible for
everybody). |