AFCON
HOW NIGERIA’S INTERNATIONAL DEBUT ANNIVERSARY BRINGS LUCK
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
It is 71 years today since the Nigerian national football team made international debut, beating Sierra Leone 2-0 in Freetown on 8 October 1949.
Ever since, especially for 66 years till 2015, the 8 October had offered a sort of magic for the Nigerian national football team.
Only once in eight instances did the 8 October ‘magic’ fail to favour the Nigerian national team. Sports Village Square recalls that that was in 2015 when the team in Ahmed Musa’s debut as Nigeria captain, lost 2-0 to DR Congo in a friendly match at Vise, Belgium.
Otherwise, www.sportsvillagesquare.com points out, it had been Nigeria all the way on a 8 October date. The facts speak clear. It was on that date that the national team played its first full international in 1949.
It was on that date in 1993 that the Super Eagles first qualified for the FIFA World Cup after being held to a 1-1 draw by Algeria in Algiers.
It was also the first time that a Nigerian team had avoided a defeat against Algeria at the 5th July Stadium in Algiers and thus became the first Anglophone African team at the World Cup.
Even FIFA inadvertently paid tribute to 8 October when it provisionally lifted a Nigerian ban on 8 October 2010.
There is more! It was on 8 October 1977 that the then Green Eagles inflicted a 4-0 defeat on Egypt in Lagos in a World Cup qualifier.
Up till 15 October 2013 when Egypt lost 6-1 to Ghana, the defeat by Nigeria was the heaviest cup-tie loss recorded by Egypt, Africa’s most successful Nations Cup champions.
Before the 1977 4-0 defeat of Egypt, Nigeria had in 1963 played a friendly match with Liberia in Monrovia. The ‘8 October Magic’ was active, even in an away match.
Nigeria drew 2-2 in their very first encounter with Liberia. Another memorable 8 October match for Nigeria was the 5-1 defeat of Zimbabwe in Abuja in 2005.
Even though the 1-0 defeat of Rwanda by Angola on that same day neutralise Nigeria’s win in the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, it was all the same a win by Nigeria and an Africa Cup of Nations’ ticket was obtained as a consolation.
Avoiding a defeat on a 8 October date at least saw the Super Eagles coming out of their last competitive match at the now MKO Abiola National Stadium with a 2-2 draw with Guinea in 2011.
How did the 8 October become a Nigerian football milestone? Sports Village Square recalls that on this date in 1949, the Nigerian national team played their first full international match in Freetown against Sierra Leone.
It was during the return journey of the famed UK Tourists, Nigeria’s first national football team selection which played nine matches against amateur clubs during the goodwill visit to the United Kingdom.
For the records, those matches in the UK are not regarded as official matches as they were not played against national teams.
Also, even though there had been inter colonial matches between Lagos selected sides and their Accra counterparts from the then Gold Coast (now Ghana), those matches were not full internationals as attested to in the NFA Handbook 1959 by Reginald Banham Allen, then the Secretary of the then Nigeria Football Association who pointed out that it was the 8 October 1949 match that is Nigeria’s first international match.
Nigeria won the match 2-0, the first goal being an own goal by Sierra Leone skipper, Ashman who deflected into his net, a cross by Nigeria’s left winger, Titus Okere.
Thus, Sports Village Square pontificate that Nigeria’s first international goal was obtained by an opponent hitting the wrong target! It happened just before half time.
In the second half, Sierra Leone had a penalty award, the first ever to be conceded by Nigeria in an international match.
It was taken by Wallace Johnson. Isaac Akioye, who later rose to become a Director of Sports in the National Sports Commission (NSC) saved the kick to become the first Nigerian goalkeeper to save a penalty kick!
When Tesilimi Balogun later scored the second goal to give Nigeria a 2-0 win, he became the first ever Nigerian scorer at an international goal.
What a delightful and pace setting that 8 October 1949 date later became. Sports Village Square recalls that the 8 October became a ‘magical’ date in Nigeria’s football history:
- 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* qualified for World Cup
- 2005 – Abuja (World Cup/Afcon qualifier): Nigeria 5-1 Zimbabwe * qualified for Afcon
- 2010 – FIFA, in apparent respect for 8 October, provisionally lifted a ban imposed on Nigeria.
- 2010 – Abuja (Afcon qualifier): Nigeria 2-2 Guinea.
The Nigeria Football Federation has commiserated with families of the three persons who were killed by kidnappers in an ambush on the Ihiala-Orlu Road in Anambra State, on Tuesday, 8th October 2024.
Information gathered on the incident revealed that the bandits opened fire on the bus in which the SuperSport operatives were travelling, with Staff and security personnel on board, and the attack immediately resulted in the deaths of a cameraman, a police officer and the bus driver.
President of NFF Ibrahim Musa Gusau stated that the past few days have been very sad for the Executive Committee members, as well as the Management and Staff of the NFF. “Yes, we won the match against Libya and took three points, but the fact that three lives were lost created a situation in which we were unable to celebrate properly, and it hurts seriously to even think back at the unfortunate incident.
“Nigeria football has had a long and fruitful relationship with SuperSport. The organization has been a strong ally in helping to fulfil the objective of the NFF in spreading joy to Nigerians through football, and they have been very professional and dedicated in their service. We share in their pain and sorrow at this period. Our prayer is that the Almighty will comfort the SuperSport family and the families of the deceased, and also grant the deceased eternal rest.
“At the same time, we pray for the safe return of the one person still unaccounted for, so that he will happily link up with his family and return to his job in good health. We also thank the security forces immensely for their efforts since this incident started.”
The SuperSport crew was on the way to Uyo to broadcast the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match between Nigeria and Libya, played on Friday at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.
It was reliably gathered on Saturday that a total of 14 persons were in the vehicle at the time of the ambush. Eight persons were eventually rescued, two escaped on their own, three were killed and one person is still unaccounted for.
Teboho Mokoena was the star of the show on Friday evening as the South African anchor scored a brace to contribute to a clinical 5-0 win over Congo at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth).
The Group K clash saw Bafana Bafana play host the Congo side that was desperate for a result, but was met by a ruthless host that was clinical in front of goal.
Mokoena opened the scoring with a clean header in the in 12th minute before a thunderbolt strike from the edge of the box to complete his brace
His Mamelodi Sundowns teammate, Bathusi Aubaas made it three just before the break to put the match beyond reach for the visitors.
Coming back from the break, the hosts continued to dominate proceedings and were duly rewarded in the 52nd minute when Lyle Foster found the fourth.
Iqraam Rayners sealed the historic victory for the former champions with an easy tap in following a blunder by the keeper to make it five with no response from Congo.
The result sees the South Africans tied on points with Uganda as the race for a top finish intensifies in Group K.
Cote d’Ivoire reinforced their dominance in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 qualifiers, commanding a 4-1 victory over Sierra Leone on Friday.
The Elephants, who entered the match with two wins from two, took an early lead through Nicolas Pépé in the second minute at the Laurent Pokou Stadium.
However, Sierra Leone responded before half-time with a goal from Alhassan Koroma to level the match.
The Ivorians regained control in the second half when Franck Kessié restored their lead with a 51st-minute strike, assisted by Séko Fofana.
Kessié doubled his tally in the 75th minute before Oumar Diakité sealed the win with a late penalty, keeping Côte d’Ivoire on top of Group G with maximum nine points.
The victory brings them one step closer to qualification for the tournament in Morocco.
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