Nigeria Fail To Qualify For CHAN

Daniel Amokachi

Tens of thousands of football fans on Sunday left the Sani Abacha Stadium utterly disappointed after the home-based Super Eagles failed to beat the Menas of neigbouring Niger Republic.

The game ended goalless and signaled the end of Nigeria's second attempt to play in the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) since the competition was introduced last year.

The home-based Eagles handled by ex-international, Daniel Amokachi, failed to cancel their two-goal deficit due to poor marksmanship throughout the duration of the match, which was watched by dignitaries that included Governor Ibrahim Shekarau, Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Sani Lulu, newly appointed technical adviser, Lars Lagerback, and other stakeholders in the game of football in Nigeria.

The outcome of the match ensured that the home-based Eagles have been knocked out of the Africa Nations Cup organised for the home-based players in the continent.

A penalty miss by Chibuzor Okonkwo in the 33rd minute of the match was enough sign that the day would not be palatable for the team, which put up spirited efforts to cancel the two goals deficit right from the blast of the whistle.

Okonkwo's deserved penalty came after Eugene Salami, who was goal-bound, was brought down in the six-yard box by Nigerien goaltender, Losernu Issa. Ivoirien referee Nahi Leonard made no mistake to award a penalty, but it was wasted.

The sluggishly kicked penalty was well saved by goalkeeper Issa, who single-handedly stopped the home-based Nigerians from registering a single goal while the match lasted.

At the slightest opportunity, the Nigeriens, who celebrated to high heavens at the end of the match, frustrated their Nigerian counterparts with delay tactics and feigned injuries until the referee's whistle signalled the end of the match.

Lagerback, who watched the game from the VIP stand, appeared disappointed with the outcome of the match, stating that the search for more competent players for the country's World Cup campaign is open till May this year.

Coach Kadiri Ikhana also expressed disappointment, adding that the outcome of the match was not a reflection of the ability of Nigerian players in the local league.

Ikhana rated the boys' performance as shameful, stating that he expected the NFA to have recruited their handlers from the Premier League coaches, who knew more of the league than an outsider in the mould of Amokachi. Ex-international, Garba Lawal, who spoke in same vein, said the outcome of the match would have been different if the NFA had handpicked the players from any of the three teams competing for continental honours.