1st half:
-Mali in red stockings,
yellow shorts, green shirts, Nigeria in green stockings, green shorts and
white shirts
-Nigeria without Finidi,
Kanu, Okocha, Shoronmu, and the suspended Aghahowa, Udeze and Oronkwo
but with newcomer Christopher Justice, and Ikpeba, Aiyegbeni
-('5) Nigerian keeper Akanji
has some difficulties in handling a free kick
-('13) Nigeria with relative
control of the match and a first dangerous through ball on Aiyegbeni who
targets wide with only the keeper to beat
-('14) the keeper has to
be treated after he had collided with Aiyegbeni in the scene. He is already
the third Malian player who has to be treated
-('17) Mali make extensive
use of the offside trap so far
-('18) a first dangerous
attack by Mali, but stopped by offside
-Nigeria with a surprisingly
agressive approach do not surrender midfield like in the first match
-But Mali start to get
better into the match now, and the next 5 minutes see exactly that domination
by the hosts.
-('23) Mali's own goalkeeper
interrupts the good run as he still seems to suffer from that collision
when his head slammed against Aiyegbeni's foot
-('26) Nigeria conquer the
ball in midfield and have a promising counter situation. But it is wasted
by bad play
-('29) Nigeria: through
ball (by Ikpea?) on Aiyegbeni who races away and beats the keeper by a
low shot into the corner 1:0
-('30) Mali have to replace
the keeper who obviously suffers from a concussion #16 Karamoko Keita comes
in for Sidibe
-('38) Mali: Keita steals
the ball from the Nigerian defenders but Bagayoko can be stopped - almost
dangerous
-('39) yellow for Yobo for
his use of hand against the face of S.Coulibaly when struggeling for the
ball
-('41) Nigeria start a
quick counter through Babangida, but once more (in this tournament) a fast
attack is spoiled and slowed down by the bumpy pitch. The ball starts to
bounce, so Babangida has to slow down to keep control and the defenders
can catch up with him.
-Nigeria have basicly
swithed to a counter position, midfield is to Mali but the hosts do not
come near a clearcut chance as very soon when encroaching the Nigerian
half spaces are cut down
halftime 1:0
There is nothing special
anymore about a Nigerian team without their midfield stars. But it seems
to be a winning formula at Mali 2002 to have more success with workers
rather than artists. At least Nigeria are in the lead. Maybe they achieve
something today that they have not done in the five matches so far: score
a second goal...
Mali is only as strong as
their opponents allow today and this of course is a compliment to the defensive
work of the Nigerian eleven.
hlaftime stats: 58:22 possession
Mali, 17:11 attacks but no real chances and a goal for Nigeria.
2nd half:
-('52) snapshot: Mali have
a nice combination winnning some ground on the right wing but the Nigerian
defence is so crowded that they cannot penetrate into danger zone.
-('56) Mali: a mistimed
cross seems to be underestimated by the Nigerian keeper and bounces against
the crossbar
-('59) yellow for Oruma
for a foul on Sidibé
-('61) Mali: good chance
for Mali after a free kick cross, which is deflected and finds an attacker
free but with the back to the goal. he tries a bicycle kick but it becomes
harmless.
-('62) Mali: good counter
situation, three vs. three, but again the Niegrian defence keeps control
-('64) Mali: danegrous free
kick cross, missed by the Nigerian keeper. It sails almost out but is head
back in front of the goal wjhere it seems to be Bagayoko who just cannot
get off a controlled attempt on target - Nigeria lucky here
-('68) Nigeria: a fast attack
on the right hand side, Babangida with a pass back from the groundline
on Ikpeba in good position unmarked from a bout the penalty spot he hits
only the air and the ball is bouncing on (the pitch played its part again),
a second Nigerian attempts a shot from outside the penalty area but high
across the bar
-('73) neat looking Nigerian
attack blocked well by a Malian defender
-It is another match with
few real clearcut chances but on a good level anyway
-('75) Kanu is in for Nigeria
-('76) Mali: a low shot
from 17 meters, without any power but bouncing. The keeper does well to
save it.
-('79) Kanu with a fine
pass against the offside pass but the Malian keeper hurries out of his
goal just in timne to intercept it
-('80) Mali. Dabo in for
Bagayoko
-('82) Nigeria: free kick
cross into the penalty area, error in marking (or a litlle foul by Ikpeba?)
and Ikpeba is all free to score but he does not hit the ball and falls
to the ground by the power of his attempt. the ball rolls out.
-('85) Mali: a free kick
cross finds unmarked attackers in front of the Nigerian goal but
none of them is able to get the head at the ball
-('86) Mali: another cross
gets dangerous but an attacker cannot get it under control in time
-Defences seem to lose
concentration towarrds the end of the match. Quite normal as it is played
in heat again and the match accelerates with Mali taking risks now.
-('87) Mali: a corner finds
an unmarked player who seems in good scoring position but his attempt is
deflected
-('89) Mali: danegrous free
kick cross again, this time intercepted by the keeper Akanji who seconds
later misses a cross again from free play
-('90) Nigeria: Finidi in
for Oruma
-('90+1) Mali: 2 corners,
the second leads to a 20 meter lob which would have made it to the triangle
of the goal if not Kanu had rescued on the line by his head
-('90+1) Nigerian counter
and Finidi dangerous, works out a time consuming corner
-('90+3) Mali: long throw
in into the penalty area but a foul stops the last promising attack of
the hosts
final score 1:0
A piece of hard work for
Nigeria in a match that always looked as serious as any other match in
the tournament. A brave fight by Mali who were unlucky in the end. |
