Nigeria's Super
Eagles finally
booked their
Africa Cup of
Nations quarter-
final place with a 2-0 victory against the Walya Antelopes of
Ethiopia on Tuesday in
Rustenburg. Victor Moses was the
hero of the day as he won and
converted the two penalties that
won the game. The kickoff was taken by the white-clad Super
Eagles and they swooped on the
Ethiopians, who appeared cagey in
the opening minutes. Efe Ambrose
had the chance to repeat his
Liberia heroics, but his header went wide. Another chance came soon after
that with Victor Moses' free kick
deflecting into the hands of the
Ethiopian goalkeeper. Ikechukwu
Uche went through on goal in the
fourth minute but keeper Sisay made a diving stop at the feet of
the striker. Ethiopia showed their first intent
in the 15th minute when star
striker Said Saluhdin headed wide.
The Ethiopians were playing the
classic counter attack, leaving the
midfield to the Eagles. The Walya Antelopes had the better of
corner kicks in the first half with
four, but could not make any
count. In the 24th minute, a good
passing move from the Eagles saw
Uche pass to Elderson Echiejile,
who skied his shot. He also had
another chance in the 34th
minute off a corner kick from Moses, but the goalkeeper
parried. Said caught the Eagles defence
napping in the 29th minute but
his shot squirmed off his boots
into Vincent Enyeama's grateful
gloves. The first half ended dourly
as the game settled into a game of cat and mouse with the
Ethiopians waiting to catch the
Eagles on the counter or through
set pieces. The second half started with the
Ethiopians on the front foot as
Estifinos shot from 30 yards, but
the effort was tame. With 25 minutes gone in the
second half, Sunday Mba got a
yellow card for a lunge.
Afterwards Fegor Ogude collected
his second yellow card of the first
round to rule him out of the quarter-final. Redemption finally came for the
Eagles in the 78th minute when Moses was scythed down in the box for the penalty which he
took and calmly rolled to the left
side of Sisay for the Eagles to
take the lead. Three minutes later, Enyeama
made a great save off a Seid
header that seemed destined to
be the equaliser. Mikel Obi was
given a yellow card for a foul on
the edge of the box and on the break away; Moses rounded
Sisay, who brought him down for
another penalty kick. Ethiopia had to convert Adnan
into an emergency goal keeper to
faceMoses who kicked to the makeshift keeper's right to
record his second goal of the
game and of the tournament. Five Nigerian players were a
caution away from missing the
quarter final but only Ogude will
now miss the confrontation with
the Didier Drogba led Cote
d'Ivoire on Sunday in Rustenburg.