Nigeria lament Malawi draw
Goal scorer Gabriel Reuben vs Malawi's Russel Mwafulirwa in Blantyre Saturday
Malawi 1 Nigeria 1
Nigeria said they could have snatched a win in Malawi Saturday but
for a clanger by goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama in stoppage time.
The Eagles were forced to a 1-1 draw by Malawi in a 2014 World Cup qualifier in Blantyre Saturday with the home team grabbing an equaliser when it looked like Nigeria had snatched a valuable away win.
Former Nigeria coach Adegboye Onigbinde said he was shocked by the final-minute howler by Enyeama.
“This is a case of two points lost. We had the three points. I don’t understand why Enyeama didn’t allow his defender to head the ball away,” he said.
“The equaliser was very painful. Three points would have been just reward for our hard work today. But we cannot be crying over spilt milk,” added Chris Green, NFF technical committee chairman
NFF general secretary Musa Amadu was equally disappointed.
“We were already on our feet to celebrate three points. This kind of thing can be painful. After Gabriel Reuben scored, we should have found a way to keep the advantage,” lamented Amadu.
It was a horrendous mistake by skipper Enyeama. He had a simple job to do to push away a floated ball in the area, after hollering at his defenders to leave the ball for him. But he went for the ball with only one hand and fumbled, leaving the Malawians with a heaven-sent opportunity to earn a point on the day.
That was only moments after Pillars midfielder Gabriel Reuben, who had a great game despite being badly hacked seconds into the game, rose above the defence to powerfully nod Nigeria in front in the 89th minute, off a corner kick by Ejike Uzoenyi.
NFF president Aminu Maigari has now challenged the team to now win their remaining four matches in this qualifying series.
“We would have loved the three points, which appeared to be in the bag, but we must look ahead and plan how to win the remaining four games in order to qualify for the last round of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers,” he charged.
The Flames have much to thank goalkeeper Simplex Nthara for, as he stood between striker Ikechukwu Uche and goal on at least two occasions in the first half, just as the Eagles also survived the hangman in some instances.
The match itself was fast-paced with the Malawians asking most of the questions in the first 15 minutes. Joseph Kamwendo, Chimango Kayira and Robin Ngalande were particularly dangerous. But they either wasted the chances that came their way or the central pair of Godfrey Oboabona and Azubuike Egwueke thwarted them.
Enyeama’s day began on an anxious note, as a mistake by him led to Malawi earning a free-kick at the edge of the box with only five minutes played.
Three minutes later, Enyeama had to be at his best to punch over a vicious shot by Kayira, and at the other end, Nigerians were on their feet to celebrate a goal when Ikechukwu Uche freed himself to a one-on-one with Nthara. Nthara saved.
Another shot by Uche, who scored Nigeria’s goal in the 1-0 win over Namibia in Calabar on Sunday, was saved before Efe Ambrose thwarted a dangerous-looking pull-out by the lively Atusaye Nyondo. A minute later, Ngalande rocked Enyeama’s upright.
In the 20th minute, Ejike Uzoenyi should have released the ball earlier after great work from the right. In the 26th minute, James Kamwendo came pretty close, while Ngalande and Malawi could have been celebrating three minutes later but the ball missed target.
A mis-timed kick by left back Juwon Oshaniwa with six minutes left in the half freed the Flames again but Enyeama was alert. However, it should have been Nigeria ahead on the clock when Ikechukwu Uche got behind the defence in 41stminute, only for Nthara to read him well once more.
On the hour mark, Uche’s header was again saved. But at the other end, Malawi also came close.
The exit of Obiora Nwankwo, who had a poor game, for Raheem Lawal with 15 minutes to go changed the complexion of the game, as Nigeria asserted themselves in the middle and played with greater confidence, looking menacing.
Three minutes to the end, Nthara again foiled Ikechukwu Uche, but the Malawian shot-stopper finally had no answer to Reuben’s powerful header a minute to the end of regulation time.
The Nigerian delegation to Blantyre will return to Abuja on Sunday afternoon.
Next up for the Eagles is a must-win 2013 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Rwanda in Calabar on Saturday.
Both teams ended it 0-0 in Kigali on February 29 and Nigeria must win to progress to the last round of the qualification series in September.
The Eagles were forced to a 1-1 draw by Malawi in a 2014 World Cup qualifier in Blantyre Saturday with the home team grabbing an equaliser when it looked like Nigeria had snatched a valuable away win.
Former Nigeria coach Adegboye Onigbinde said he was shocked by the final-minute howler by Enyeama.
“This is a case of two points lost. We had the three points. I don’t understand why Enyeama didn’t allow his defender to head the ball away,” he said.
“The equaliser was very painful. Three points would have been just reward for our hard work today. But we cannot be crying over spilt milk,” added Chris Green, NFF technical committee chairman
NFF general secretary Musa Amadu was equally disappointed.
“We were already on our feet to celebrate three points. This kind of thing can be painful. After Gabriel Reuben scored, we should have found a way to keep the advantage,” lamented Amadu.
It was a horrendous mistake by skipper Enyeama. He had a simple job to do to push away a floated ball in the area, after hollering at his defenders to leave the ball for him. But he went for the ball with only one hand and fumbled, leaving the Malawians with a heaven-sent opportunity to earn a point on the day.
That was only moments after Pillars midfielder Gabriel Reuben, who had a great game despite being badly hacked seconds into the game, rose above the defence to powerfully nod Nigeria in front in the 89th minute, off a corner kick by Ejike Uzoenyi.
NFF president Aminu Maigari has now challenged the team to now win their remaining four matches in this qualifying series.
“We would have loved the three points, which appeared to be in the bag, but we must look ahead and plan how to win the remaining four games in order to qualify for the last round of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers,” he charged.
The Flames have much to thank goalkeeper Simplex Nthara for, as he stood between striker Ikechukwu Uche and goal on at least two occasions in the first half, just as the Eagles also survived the hangman in some instances.
The match itself was fast-paced with the Malawians asking most of the questions in the first 15 minutes. Joseph Kamwendo, Chimango Kayira and Robin Ngalande were particularly dangerous. But they either wasted the chances that came their way or the central pair of Godfrey Oboabona and Azubuike Egwueke thwarted them.
Enyeama’s day began on an anxious note, as a mistake by him led to Malawi earning a free-kick at the edge of the box with only five minutes played.
Three minutes later, Enyeama had to be at his best to punch over a vicious shot by Kayira, and at the other end, Nigerians were on their feet to celebrate a goal when Ikechukwu Uche freed himself to a one-on-one with Nthara. Nthara saved.
Another shot by Uche, who scored Nigeria’s goal in the 1-0 win over Namibia in Calabar on Sunday, was saved before Efe Ambrose thwarted a dangerous-looking pull-out by the lively Atusaye Nyondo. A minute later, Ngalande rocked Enyeama’s upright.
In the 20th minute, Ejike Uzoenyi should have released the ball earlier after great work from the right. In the 26th minute, James Kamwendo came pretty close, while Ngalande and Malawi could have been celebrating three minutes later but the ball missed target.
A mis-timed kick by left back Juwon Oshaniwa with six minutes left in the half freed the Flames again but Enyeama was alert. However, it should have been Nigeria ahead on the clock when Ikechukwu Uche got behind the defence in 41stminute, only for Nthara to read him well once more.
On the hour mark, Uche’s header was again saved. But at the other end, Malawi also came close.
The exit of Obiora Nwankwo, who had a poor game, for Raheem Lawal with 15 minutes to go changed the complexion of the game, as Nigeria asserted themselves in the middle and played with greater confidence, looking menacing.
Three minutes to the end, Nthara again foiled Ikechukwu Uche, but the Malawian shot-stopper finally had no answer to Reuben’s powerful header a minute to the end of regulation time.
The Nigerian delegation to Blantyre will return to Abuja on Sunday afternoon.
Next up for the Eagles is a must-win 2013 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Rwanda in Calabar on Saturday.
Both teams ended it 0-0 in Kigali on February 29 and Nigeria must win to progress to the last round of the qualification series in September.
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