Nigeria’s Super Eagles’ dominance over archrivals, the Lions of Cameroon since 1989 continued on Saturday when the Gernot Rohr’s side thumped Clarence Seedorf’s team 3-2 in a thrilling AFCON 2019 Round of 16 match at the Alexandria Stadium, Completesports.com reports.
Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo scored a brace as the three time African Champions, Nigeria, knocked out defending Champions, Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.
Arsenal forward, Alex Iwobi sealed the win with his exquisite strike of extraordinary quality in the 66th minute that won the crunchy tie for Nigeria, thus, becoming the third team to seal a place in the AFCON 2019 quarterfinals.
Iwobi found himself at the positive end of swift passing game involving Ahmed Musa, Odion Ighalo and Oghenekaro Etebo and made no mistake in slicing the ball past the gripping gloves of the Cameroonian goalkeeper.
Senegal and Benin Republic, two West African sides, are the first to book their quarter finals places following victories in their Friday’s round of 16 games.
Cameroon who have not beaten the Super Eagles in open play since 1989, roared into possession in the opening half, bossing the Eagles in a bid to find the breakthrough.
But it turned out the other way round as Odion Ighalo fired the ambitious Super Eagles into the lead on 19 minutes. A free kick on the right hand side of the Lions box created a scene of scramble inside the box and Ighalo was presented with a glorious opportunity of slipping the ball beyond the reach of the outstretched Cameroonian goalkeeper,Andre Onana, for Nigeria’s opening goal.
The three time African Champions had an instant opportunity to extend their advantage soon after but goalkeeper Nana went down low enough to save Alex Iwobi’s effort on the line as Super Eagles grew in confidence.
But the defending Champions could not be caged much longer, ensuring they retained their shape, form, confidence and possession as they probed every space for a possible equaliser.
In what clearly appears as a game for the No.9s, Stephan Bahokan restored parity for the five time Champions on 40 minutes.
A cross from the left hand channel saw Bahokan run into the area to plant his right foot effort beyond the reach of goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi.
With scoreline now at one apiece, it looked as though the two sides will go into the half time break on level terms. But the Cameroonians have a different script up their sleeves.
Just three minutes after Bahokan’s strike brought the Lions back into the game, Njie struck with Cameroon’s second of the night in the 43rd minute.
A long ball from just after the half way line saw Njie outrun Eagles rear men after Kenneth Omeruo and Ola Aina lost their defensive ideas. Njie had Akpeyi for a dinner with a clever smash on the near post.
Although Cameroon enjoyed a 59-41 ball possession, it however did not stop Moses from getting a chance to draw Nigeria level but he directed his left foot effort waywardly over the crossbar as both sides retired into the dressing room for the halftime break.
The restart took almost the shape of the first with Super Eagles now taking the game to their opponents. It did not take long for Odion Ighalo to restore parity for Super Eagles on 63 minutes. It was his second on the night and third of the tournament.
The Alexandria stadium bust into life as Super Eagles fans celebrated Ighalo’s leveler. But just as Cameroon scored two in three minutes in the first half, Alex Iwobi replicated same for Nigeria in the second period as he scored Nigeria’s third goal on 66 minutes. It was his first AFCON finals goal as Nigeria now defended in numbers with occasional breaks as the game wore on.
With the Super Eagles now back on the driving seat, Manager Gernot Rohr resorted to game management, withdrawing Ighalo for Paul Onuachu and Iwobi for Troost-Ekong as the Super Eagles hung on for another famous win over the Indomitable Lions.
The 3-2 defeat thus ended the defending Champions campaign in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
By Adeboye Amosu in Alexandria
21 Comments
This is a total Nigerian syndrome I have spoken to address various people here that we should be steadfast until after the final whistle before conclusion.
Now how many of you are embarrassed after the win? Maturity is when you take your time before addressing issues.
Notwithstanding the statement of this man is our pilot if we curse him he crashes with us and we have no other choice than to pray for him until the last minute.
But people will not listen this is exactly why I have stopped commenting on issues here because now same people who started talking plenty now will change their tune after the win.
Shame no dey people face sha including the one who said he is having a bad feelings. Master everyone has bad feeling but next time keep it to yourself and say a simple prayer that’s maturity you correct the science of failure in the realm of faith instead of thinking your bad feeling is the overlord of determinant!
And commenting on the game Onuachu has blew his chances. Musa is not bad but should bottle chances next time.
Chukwueze is the real deal atm.
Ighalo is a scorer but he should focus more on honest play instead of looking for ref favor even when it doesn’t call for and continue is scoring streak.
Rohr has seen the red signs I’m sure he will not take more chances now that he has escaped this.
Congratulations to every Nigerians including the fake and Correct online coaches we have here!
NGR 3: 2 CMR
The Almighty Super Eagles of Nigeria thru to the quarter final
Be it Egypt or South Africa….bring it on !!!
Congrats to Roht
Congrats to the players
Congrats to NFF and all Nigerians !!
Cameroun has not conceded in all 3 group games prior to this match !!!
Nigeria scored just 2 goals in three matches prior to this match !!!
And this is the most difficult match the super eagles has played so far and yet we scored 3 goals !!!
One word to my doubting brothers in this column ….JUST BELIEVE !!!!!
God bless Nigeria !!!
I hail ooo
NEVER KNEW THAT LION’S MEAT CAN BE SO SWEET. 07054142412
I swear this match go shut people up here, las las some ppl dey talk trash. Nonetheless, a very beautiful game, the fighting spirit is madt. Ighalo your game madt las las.
Up eagles, keep soaring.
#BringItOn
LION meat na better meat oooo. I dey hear dey wack my share, I dey wash am down with chilled palmy, and I dey nod my head to OLIVER DE COQUE music. Rohr haters, please come and join me na? There is plenty of plenty of roasted, spiced LION meat to go round!
UP EAGLES!!!
Oh boy se just box me up straight up straight winning…never in doubt..up eagles..pompei n omo9ja congrats..as for segun odegbami I reserve my comment
Pompei n Dr drey not d fake omo9ja n his group
Congrats to us all,we all can see that chukwueze is d real deal he came in and changed d dynamism of d game he did not score but his introduction distracted d cameroonian defence de didn’t know who to concentrate on
The greatest problem Nigeria has is our coach inability to read games and make good changes, he is the one that always put the into pressure, the same thing that happened at the World Cup against Argentina, besides chukwueze, who suppose to start the match, all the other changes are wrong, what is the need of onuachu in that game, is it not better to beef up the midfield, if you must remove ighalo. He always put pressure on his team because of his inability to read games
We are all happy Super Eagles won. That is how it should be. But having said that let the truth be told. Cameroon were poor too. Madagascar will win us if we play again. I will not bet on in Eagles vs Egypt. Eagles did not impress me at all vs Cameroon. The only bright spot is the boy all have been crying for to be featured. Chekwueze. He must start Vs Egypt. Must o. We should be happy now for the win vs Cameroon but Eagles must up their game seriously.
Hahahahaha…. It is now the Cameroon team was poor.
Pls cut the crap. We neutralized them. Fin & klaar. Accept it or not.
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They will always look for an excuse to undermine a good result.
Many people will commit suicide today o…!
The useless bastard coach has just knocked out the defending champions without featuring their client. LMAO.
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Some will come here and lie to us that they didn’t watch the match. They never watch our matches wen we win….Lolz.
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Some with a useless ‘destiny’will come here and refer to their father’s mate as a bastard.
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We are still waiting for them to pull themselves together enough to comment.
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Thank you Mr. Rohr and the eagles. Even if you don’t go further, your legendary middle finger which you showed your haters today will Definitely go down in history. LMAO
NEPA has just disconnected power to some transformers as a result of a sudden surge in people hugging wet transformers. As at the time of filing this report, there has been an increase in the sale of sniper and otapipia lol!!! Traders are really battling to meet up with the high level of demand…lol….chai!, Rohr my man, u too much. Just look at the way you have rubbed mud on the faces of ur haters including Segun odegbami (the ex cricket player). Lol! I’m still laughing in Swahili..lol!!
Etebo the beast the guy was over the pitch bossing the Cameroonians for 90 mins
Etebo is man of the match. I am beginin to suspect moses simon(if he is not using juju for rohr to always play him even wen he knew within himself that he doesnt deserve a call up at all. Right from time ighalo dont like is partnership! congtats to the boys. Etebo really impressed i give him man of the match
Lucky eagles
Would you say Rohr got it right this time?
Cuz am very sure most of us fumed at the starting line up he presented, i was a bit angry too, seeing Musa picked ahead of Henry….
It’s a normal feeling, it means we are averagely passionate about the team if not exceptionally. Are we not surprised that the players we were fumed of seeing combined with precise substitutes got the job done?
But now we are happy they got this win, yea it’s great! they won, even when some thought they wouldn’t. Had it been Nigeria won or atleast drew Madagascar, majority wouldn’t have blamed Rohr, it would have been a kind of praise to him resting his key players for the next round and securing the top spot, but it all ended sideways, they got a very nice beating from the so-called ” inexperienced debutants” and the Call FOR SACK trailed Rohr.
Morocco were overwhelming favourite of their encounter with Benin and they lived up to expectations along the match but they ended up getting themselves knocked out, it’s football, a very crazy game, a game where 1+1 isn’t always 2.
Rohr isn’t a Messiah of all football gaffers but he’s still trying his best. Even if Nigeria ends their Afcon journey at the next round, that’s not an unforgivable sin and his future lies in the hands of his employers, they’re in the right position to judge that, not Omo9ja and his duplicates.
I wish Super eagles further success! God bless Nigeria!!
Who told you Egypt will make it to the quarter finals? Surprises all the way. First it was Morocco, followed by Cameroon nxt will be Egypt. How l hope it will be Nigeria vs South Africa in the quarter finals to silence BAFANA BAFANA (The boys the boys) who believe they are better than Nigeria after the referee helped them to escape defeat in South Africa by cancelling Nigeria’s two onside goals.
Egypt 0-1 SA 90th min
See the wonderment of God
Pls where are the teams who started afcon on fire…..?
Where are the teams who topped their groups.. ?
Q/final line up so far… .. Benin (best looser), Senegal (2nd place), Nigeria (2nd place, coached by a useless tactless, bastard mumu coach according to some Motorpark touts), South Africa (best looser)
Nor b who first reach police station dey win case