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humiliating loss to Ghana in the final match of the 2017
WAFU Nations Cup.
Playing in front of a capacity crowd at the new Cape Coast Stadium, the home-based Eagles, who had defeated Ghana 2-0 in a group game last Monday, were completely taken apart, shred into pieces, dismantled, offering little in attack to suffer their first and worst loss in the regional tournament hosted by Ghana
To say that the coach Salisu Yusuf-trained Nigerian side played like lightweights is an understatement as the Black Stars relentlessly ran rings round their midfield, comprising Ifeanyi Ifeanyi, Afeez Aremu, Rabiu Ali and Peter Eneji, who all looked helpless.
From the start of the game, Ghana burst into the action, asking all the questions as the Nigerians retreated into their cocoon, which inadvertently, led to their destruction, as they allowed the hosts to dictate the pace, pattern and pendulum that the game eventually swung to.
As early as the 18th minute, Ghana's Kwame Kington almost broke the deadlock as he took on two defenders but his shot ricocheted off Aniyikaye Adeleyi, allowing goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa to breathe a sigh of relief.
By far the more impressive side on the day, the Black Stars continued attacking with pace and defended with grit as the Super Eagles found it difficult to create any clear cut chance, save for Rabiu Ali’s 30th minute strike which deflected off Samuel Sarfo.
On the 43rd minute, it so happened that Sarfo, was the one to open the floodgates of goals for Ghana as he edged the hosts ahead with a clinical finish, as he calmly controlled the ball on the edge of the box, beat three markers and fired in a low shot that goalkeeper Even want had no answer for.
Ghana doubled their lead on 57th minute, when Vincent Atinga expertly converted a penalty kick after substitute Patrick Razak, was tripped down in the Nigerian box. Two later became three for Ghana on 77th minute as Stephen Sarfo scored his second of the night off a penalty kick after Razak was hacked down by defender Stephen Eze.
And Ghana fans were taken into fourth heaven on 93rd minute when Winful Cobbinah scored Ghana’s fourth of the night after a nice pass from Patrick Razak. With their wings clipped, Nigeria finally got a consolation goal on 95th minute, as Rabiu Ali’s free kick beat Joseph Addo at his near post.
Speaking at the end of the game, Nigerian coach, Salisu
Yusuf said, "We lost to a good team, which is a good lesson for us. The tournament was good. The boys did well throughout the tournament but its sad that they lost at the end but that is the way the game is".
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