Yakubu gives Super Eagles hopeSCORING SUMMARYNigeria BeninAyegbeni Yakubu (pen 42)MATCH INFORMATIONStadium: Estadio do BenguelaAttendance: 8,000Match Time: 16:00 UKOfficial(s):Henrique Martins de Carvaldo (Referee)TEAMSNigeria Benin1 Vincent Enyeama 16 Rachad Chitou6 Dan Shittu 5 Damien Chrysostome2 Joseph Yobo 3 Khaled Adenon21 Uwa Echiejile 23 Emmanuel Imorou19 Yusuf Mohammed 18 Seidath Tchomogo20 Dickson Etuhu 7 Romuald Boco16 Kalu Uche 17 Stephane Sessegnon10 John Mikel Obi 4 Djiman Koukou8 Ayegbeni Yakubu 10 Nouihoum Kobenan11 Peter Osaze Odemwingie 11 Muri Ogunbiyi7 Chinedu Obasi Ogbuke 8 Razak OmotoyossiSubstitutes12 Austin Amamchukwu Ejide Yoann Djidonou 123 Dele Aiyenugbu Valerie Amoussou17 Chidi Odiah Felicien Singbo 123 Taye Ismaila Taiwo Rede Johnson5 Obinna Nwaneri Mouftaou Adou22 Onyekachi Apam Jocelin Ahoueya 1914 Seyi George Olofinjana Pascal Angan13 Ayiila Yussuf Junior Salomon15 Sani Kaita Gerard Adanhoume4 Nwankwo Kanu Mickael Pote 149 Obafemi Martins Mohamed Aoudou18 Victor Nsofor Obinna Arnaud Seka 20SubstitutionsOnyekachi Apam for Joseph Yobo (55)Felicien Singbo for Emmanuel Imorou (66)Victor Nsofor Obinna for Ayegbeni Yakubu (59)Yoann Djidonou for Rachad Chitou (73)Sani Kaita for Kalu Uche (74)Arnaud Seka for Nouihoum Kobenan (83)Yellow CardsUwa Echiejile (86)Stephane Sessegnon (25)Romuald Boco (42)Razak Omotoyossi (90)Nigeria reignited their African Nations Cup hopes with a narrow victory over Benin in an entertaining game in Benguela.Ayegbeni Yakubu's spot-kick four minutes before the break was enough to separate the sides.Nigeria are now level on points at the top of Group C with Egypt, who face Mozambique later. Benin are rock-bottom.The match got off to a bright start and Nigeria slowly started to take control but it was to be Benin who had the first decent chance as Seidath Tchomogo saw his 25-yard effort fly narrowly wide of the left upright.Nigeria knew they had to win to boost their chances of progressing but wasted a glorious opportunity in the 15th minute.Yakubu was sent through on goal but, with only the goalkeeper to beat, he sent a rasping shot wide in a real let-off for Benin.The Nigerians were almost made to instantly pay for their profligacy when Benin won a free-kick on the edge of the area but Stephane Sessegnon could not get his attempt to dip enough and it flew over the crossbar.Sessegnon went closer in the 39th minute when he sent a fabulous drive crashing off the bar.However, Nigeria were to take the lead four minutes from the break. Benin goalkeeper Rachad Chitou did well to beat out Djiman Koukou's attempt but in the goalmouth scramble it fell to Chinedu Obasi Ogbuke who crossed in towards Peter Odemwingie.Romuald Boco was adjudged to have handled Odemwingie's header and Yakubu sent the resulting penalty straight down the middle to give Nigeria the lead.Benin came out after the break desperate for the equaliser and almost got it ten minutes after the restart when the ever-dangerous Sessegnon set up Nouihoum Kobena only for the Squirrels to once again be denied by the woodwork.Nigeria thought they had doubled their lead shortly after the hour mark as a superb ball by Obasi Ogbuke released Victor Obinna just moments after the Malaga striker had come off the bench.However, Chitou was quick off his line and did well to keep his side very much in the game.The Super Eagles should have sealed the result 15 minutes from time but Obasi Ogbuke headed wide from close range. However, Nigeria clung on to take all three points.
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Posted by 9jabook.com on October 27, 2009 at 10:41pm
The Golden Eaglets improved their chances of making it to the knockout rounds of the FIFA U-17 World Cup when they defeated Honduras 1-0 last night at the National Stadium in Abuja. And with Germany losing to Argentina, all the Nigerians now need to advance to the last-16 is a draw against the Argentines on Friday at the Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi.
The game’s only goal arrived after 53 minutes, courtesy of Abdul Ajagun, whose curling effort proved more than a handful for Honduran goalkeeper, Harold Fonseca.
The Golden Eaglets could, however, have shot into the lead much earlier in the 16th minute through Edafe Egbedi but the forward opted for power over precision and shot straight at Fonseca when he had so much space to aim at.
The Eaglets continued to dictate the pace of the game but Eugenio Umanzor’s side remained resolute in the defence, but they had Fonseca to thank for keeping the score line even, especially in the 41st minute when he was well placed to stop a rasping drive from Eaglets captain, Fortune Chukwudi.
Half time
After the half-time break, the Hondurans took the game to the Nigerians and could have gone ahead in the 50th minute but for the outstretched arm of Eaglets goalkeeper, Dami Paul, which kept out the goal-bound shot of Antony Lozano.
But two minutes later, Stanley Okoro, who was booked a minute earlier for simulation, failed to get his header on target with only the goalkeeper to beat. His miss was soon forgotten though as Ajagun, seconds later, shot the Eaglets into the lead from the edge of the box.
Honduran captain, Lozano, kept proving more than a handful for the Eaglets’ backline with his close control and sublime skills but in the end it wasn’t enough to salvage any point for the Central Americans who could still finish a respectable third in Group A if they can get a win over Germany on Friday.
Supreme Argentines
Earlier in the day, a pair of goals after many minutes saw Argentina storm back from a goal down to beat Germany also at the National Stadium in Abuja; a result that guarantees the South Americans a place in the round of 16 even before Friday’s match against the Flying Eagles.
The Germans, just as they did in their opening match against the Flying Eagles, shot into the lead after only eight minutes through Mario Goetze, who nodded the ball past Argentina’s goalkeeper, Damian Martinez, from a free kick for his second goal in many games.
And it could have been worse for the South Americans in the first half had Shkodran Mustafi, who scored in the game against Nigeria, not made a mess of a free header from an inch-perfect corner kick.
Argentina, however, started the second half with renewed strength and, in the 56th minute, Mustafi hauled down Daniel Villalva in the box. From the resultant penalty kick, captain Esteban Espindola stepped up to equalise. Then straight from the kick-off, a horrid German pass back allowed Sergio Araujo to steal in and give Argentina the lead.
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