Nigeria Content Online

Nigeria’s
chances of qualifying for this year’s FIFA Under 20 World Cup in
Colombia now hangs in the balance after suffering a 1-0 loss to
Cameroun on Thursday at the ongoing African Youth Championship (AYC) in
South Africa.

And with Ghana and
Gambia only managing to play out a 1-1 draw in the day’s other Group B
encounter, the result means the Flying Eagles need to avoid defeat in
their next match against the Gambians while hoping the Camerounians do
likewise against the Ghanaians in order to progress to the semifinals,
and with it, a spot at the U-20 World Cup.

Cameroun, who had
earlier beaten the Gambians by a lone goal in their opening match of
the tournament, secured Thursday’s win over the Nigerians courtesy of a
goal on the stroke of halftime by Franck Ohandza.

The Thailand-based
striker, picked up the ball on the edge of the area with his back to
the Nigerian goal, turned his marker before curling the ball with his
right foot into the far corner of Danjuma Paul’s goal.

It was the first
goal of the tournament for the 19-year-old who five minutes earlier
thought he had given the Cubs the lead only for the goal to be rightly
chalked off for offside.

Dominance

The Camerounians
deservedly led at the halftime break as they were more incisive than
the side managed by John Obuh, who fielded virtually the same side that
ran out 2-1 winners over Ghana last Monday, with the exception of Ahmed
Musa, who had since returned to Holland after being recalled by his
club, VVV Venlo.

Almeria of Spain’s
Stanley Okoro, however took Musa’s place in Nigeria’s starting 11 but
his lacklustre display epitomized the overall performance of the
Nigerian team on the rain-soaked pitch of the Dobsonville Stadium.

It thereby came as
no surprise when the midfielder was taken off on the hour mark and
replaced with Almeria teammate, Ramon Azeez. But the change did little
to alter the flow of the game as the Camerounians always seemed the
more likelier to grab the game’s next goal.

The Nigerian
goalie, Paul was however on hand to deny the Cubs. Even when the
Nasarawa United ‘keeper was beaten, the crossbar was on hand to save
his blushes as was the case in the 64th minute when Ghilsain Mvom bent
a free kick over the Nigerian wall.

With a quarter of
an hour to the end of the game, Paul came to Nigeria’s rescue once
again as he stopped a goal-bound shot from Ohandza, taken from well
inside the Nigerian area.

Thursday’s victory
further confirmed Cameroun’s dominance over Nigeria at the AYC and
stretched their victory over Nigeria to eight wins, compared to
Nigeria’s solitary victory which arrived as far back as 1985.

The five matches that have been played by both sides since Nigeria’s
5-1 win in 1985, including yesterday’s game in Soweto, have all ended
in victories for the Camerounians.