Nigerian Football
Vengeance is Key Word, Shorunmu Tells Super Eagles
BY BOLAJI OKUNOLA.
As the build-up to the build-up to the destiny-shaping and back-to-back World Cup qualifying encounters with rivals and eastern neighbours, Cameroon begins, former Nigerian international, Ike Shorunmu, told Sports Village Square that he wants the Super Eagles to beat the Indomitable Lions and thereby avenge the bitter loss of 2000 Africa Cup of Nations.
Sports Village Square recalls that Ike Shorunmu was in goal for Nigeria in the February 13, 2000 final match at a jam packed National Stadium, Lagos when Cameroon upstaged the Super Eagles 4-3 in the ensuing penalty kick shoot-out after regulation time and extra time score lines stood at 2-2.
The Cameroonian had begun on offensive note scoring two goals in quick succession in four minutes. The then young Samuel Eto’o first scored in the 26th minute before ageing Patrick Mboma doubled the lead in the 31st.
Nigeria then began a fight back, pulling a goal back almost with the last kick of the first half as Chukwu Ndukwe scrambled the ball in to reduce the tally.
Nigeria opened the second half with a ferocious attack leading to Austin Okocha unleashing a long range shot within two minutes of the restart to level scores. But that was where the struggle stopped for Nigeria.
Cameroon prevailed in the later penalty shootout as Nwankwo Kanu missed his shot, while that of Victor Ikpeba was misjudged. Vivian Foe also missed for Cameroon. A win of the match would have earned Nigeria a third and eternal win of the particular trophy at stake that year.
Nwankwo Kanu in anguish after his penalty kick miss
Rather, the honour went to Cameroon which won for keeps, the then “Unity Cup” that was incidentally first put at stake in Nigeria in 1980.
For the encounters of September 1 in Uyo and the return leg in Cameroon on September 5, Ike Shorunmu wants nothing but a sweet vengeance for the pain inflicted in 2000. Incidentally, the 2000 defeat Nigeria suffered was the last from Cameroon.
Sports Village Square recalls that subsequent matches at the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia, Nigeria eliminated Cameroon 2-1 in the quarter finals apart from defeating the bitter rivals 3-0 in a June 1, 2003 LG Cup match in Lagos and another 3-0 in an October 11, 2015 Friendly match in Vise, Belgium.
But in spite of the strings of victories Nigeria have had over Cameroon since the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations, Shorunmu believes beating the Indomitable Lions in the important World Cup qualifying games will be more gratifying.
“Nigerians are anxiously waiting to see the Super Eagles revenge the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations loss. The Cameroonian will definitely be coming to Nigeria with the aim of gaining a point.
“We know they are currently the African champions, but I believe they are beatable. We should also use the match to wipe off the bitter home loss to South Africa in June.
“I am using this medium to urge the current Super Eagles to beat Cameroon by gaining more points in the forthcoming two matches”.
The miserable run of Akwa United and Ikorodu City came to an end after six games in the Nigerian Premier League this season. Both teams were initially glued at the bottom of the league table.
They now got respite as Akwa United beat Kano Pillar by 2-0 while Ikorodu City even did what could be considered an upset, beating Bendel Insurance 3-0.
Remo Stars bounced back to the top of the log after a 3-0 defeat of Nasarawa United. Shooting Stars are yet to get their rhythm this season, playing a barren draw with Enyimba in Ibadan.
Kwara United who got their first full points of the season last week after a 1-0 defeat of Remo Stars could not consolidate as they were beaten 1-0 by Abia Warriors.
Heartland under Emmanuel Amuneke are gradually recovering as they got a valuable away draw against El-Kanemi Warriors.
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
It is 75 years since Nigeria’s national football team first played an international match. That was on 8 October 1949 when the first set of Nigeria’s assembly on their return voyage stopped over in Freetown and engaged Sierra Leone in an international football match. Nigeria won 2-0, setting a chain of positive results on 8 October.
The country never lost any competitive duel on that date. More significantly, the Super Eagles first qualified for the World Cup on an 8 October date.
That was in 1993 when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Algeria in the quest for USA ‘94 World Cup.
Nigeria became the first English-speaking African country to qualify for the World Cup. Another significance of the October 8 match at the July 5 Stadium, Algiers is that Nigeria were unbeaten for the first time by Algeria at home.
The only deviation from the 8 October Magic was in 2015 when Nigeria lost 2-0 to Congo in a friendly match.
Twenty-six years after Nigeria’s debut international match, one of Africa’s biggest football nations, Egypt fell to the October 8 magic, losing 4-0 to Nigeria in the last stage of the triangular World Cup qualifying series for Argentina ’78.
Up till October 15, 2013, when Ghana beat Egypt 6-1 in Kumasi, the October 8, 1977 duel with Nigeria remained Egypt’s biggest loss in a World Cup qualifying match.
Before the 1977 duel, Nigeria in 1963 played a friendly match with Liberia in Monrovia. The October 8 magic was active, even in an away match. Nigeria drew 2-2 in their very first encounter with Liberia. It was shortly after the team had, through a protest, upturned a victory by Guinea to pick Nigeria’s very first African Nations’ Cup ticket.
Little wonder then that when FIFA suspended Nigeria in 2010, the world governing body provisionally lifted the ban on October 8!
Nigeria on 8 October
- 1949 – Freetown (Friendly) Sierra Leone 0-2 Nigeria
- 1963 – Monrovia (Friendly) Liberia 2-2 Nigeria
- 1977 – Lagos (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 4-0 Egypt
- 1993 – Algiers (World Cup qualifier) Algeria 1-1 Nigeria… qualify for USA ‘94.
- 2005 – Abuja (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 5-1 Zimbabwe
- 2010 – FIFA, in apparent respect to the 8 October magic, provisionally lifted a ban imposed on Nigeria.
- 2011 – Abuja (African Nations Cup qualifier) Nigeria 2-2 Guinea. Although undefeated, Nigeria failed to make it to the 2012 African Nations Cup.
- 2015 – D.R. Congo beat Nigeria 2-0 in Visé, Belgium. The ‘October 8 Magic’ is finally broken.
Rivers United have launched themselves to the top of the log at the end of the match day 5 of the Nigeria Premier League. The Port Harcourt side beat Akwa United 2-1 to go afloat after initial leaders, Remo Stars crumbled to a 1-0 defeat at Kwara United in Ilorin on Sunday.
It was Remo Stars’ first defeat in the season. Rivers United are now with 13 points. Stephen Mayo put Rivers United ahead after 31 minutes. But it turned a temporary lead as Akwa United bounced back almost at the blast of the referee’s whistle for the second half.
Friday Apollos levelled up for Akwa United before Ndifreke Effiong Udo scored the winner in the 85th minute.
Sunday Results
- Kwara United 1-0 Remo Stars
- Rangers International 1-0 Abia Warriors
- Heartland FC 2-0 Niger Tornadoes
- Kano Pillars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
- Plateau United 1-0 Ikorodu City
- Rivers United 2-1 Akwa United
- Enyimba 3-0 Katsina United* Suspended
- Nasarawa 0-0 Bayelsa United
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