BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

 

Perhaps, it is one of the longest unbeaten streaks between two rivals in football. The football rivalry of the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroon is never doubted as both have mutual respect for each other.

 

But despite the fears that Nigerian football followers of have in Super Eagles’ fixtures against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, the Super Eagles have most times been dominant, making the tag ‘Indomitable Lions’ a mere paradox.

 

It is 31 years today since Cameroon last beat the Super Eagles in either regulation or even after extra time.  The Africa Cup of Nations final match of 2000 in Lagos ended 2-2 at both regulation time and after extra time. The penalty shootout was just a tie-breaker, making the last time Cameroon beat Nigeria in regular play to be 1989.

That was in Yaoundé on 27 August 1989 in Group C World Cup qualifiers for Italia ’90.

 

The encounter is packed with memorable incidents for eternal storage. First it was Dutchman Clemens Westerhof debut for Nigeria. It was the first players’ open mutiny against the national football governing body, the then NFA.

 

Not all, it was the first time a coach insisted on boarding a plane should a particular player be allowed in, even if the player in question would be a mere spectator.

 

Also, it was the last match Waidi Akanni played for the Super Eagles before he ventured to the United States for studies at the Howard University.

 

Lastly, the nation was at the brink of another on-field tragedy as goalkeeper David Ngodigha passed out after 12 minutes of the epic match and had to be replaced by Aloysius Agu.

After watching from the stands, the Super Eagles previous two World Cup qualifying matches with Gabon in Libreville on 25 June 1989 and Angola on 12 July 1989 in Lagos, Dutchman, Clemens Westerhof on this date 27 August 1989 made his debut for the Super Eagles as they lined out for their last Group C World Cup Italia ’90 match against Cameroon in Yaoundé.

Nigeria, in need of a draw to advance to the last qualifying and knockout stage lost 1-0 and crashed out. Significantly, that was the last time Cameroon beat Nigeria in regulation time till date.

On the eve of the match, drama unfolded at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport as the players refused to come out of their Durbar Hotel (now Golden Tulip) in Lagos to the Airport.

Samson Siasia was later sent to lay their grievances which were money-related. Grievances over allowances and match bonuses had always existed, but that was the first time it was brought up in the open.

Since the players feared the potentially volatile match could be their last in the World Cup qualifying series they wanted all outstanding allowances paid.

At the time, the NFA officials, the supporters’ club members and the press crew were all waiting at the presidential wing for the early flight aboard the Nigerian Air force Hercules C-130 aircraft.

Later, a car pulled up and Siasia emerged to inform the gathering that the players would not leave their hotel until their allowances were paid. Officials had to dash to the players for lengthy rounds of negotiations.

With the players’ mutiny resolved, then began another drama as the new coach, Westerhof insisted that first choice goalkeeper, Peter Rufai must be dropped from the trip.  He had his way.

The two of them obviously had a feud even before Westerhof’s arrival in Nigeria. There were 25 matches before Westerhof decided to field Rufai in goal.

 The Dutchman said he was glad that the man who later became Nigeria’s on field captain at the USA ’94 World Cup was among his former players who came to honour him at his 74^th birthday celebration in Lagos in 2014.

Back to the Yaoundé match, David Ngodigha started the match as the goalkeeper but had to be substituted by Aloysius Agu after just 12 minutes when he passed out after a collision with a Cameroon attacker.

Memories of the previous match involving Samuel Okwaraji started flooding.

He was later revived. In the 31^st minute of the match, Francois Omam-Biyik with a header, scored the only goal that knocked out Nigeria and made Cameroon to advance to the last knockout two-legged qualifying encounter for Italia ‘90.

He was to also repeat the feat in the opening match of Italia ’90 when his glancing header in the 66^th minute enabled Cameroon beat Argentina.