By Akinwale Kasali
Barely a minute into the crucial encounter between Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde, Napoli Football Club of Italy forward, Victor Osimhen found the back of the net.
Fans that thronged the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, had thought it was going to be a massacre from the 2013 African Cup of Nations Champions on their Southern African opponent, but, it wasn’t so, as Nuno Stopira equalized from a set piece to put the game level.
It became a ding dong affair all through the entire match after the early goals from the teams, as both team settled for 1-1 draw.
Though, a point was all the Coach Gernot Rohr team needed to advance to the final phase of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, it was a sigh of relief for the team as the Referee blasted the final whistle to the encounter.
Rohr started the game with a 3-5-2 formation, with Maduka Okoye in goal, William Troost Ekong, Leon Balogun, Jamilu Collins, Chidozie Awaziem and Moses Simon were at the back line, with Simon and Collins helping the midfield.
Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi and Joe Aribo were in the heart of the midfield, while Victor Osimhen and Jude Odion Ighalo tormented the Cape Verde defense.
Luis Vozinha, the Cape Verde goalkeeper was at his best throughout the entire duration of the match, denying Osimhen, Simon and Aribo on multiple occasion from adding to the score sheet.
With the draw, the Super Eagles ended the first phase of qualifiers as leaders with 13 points, winning Four matches, losing one and drawing one.
Their closest rival is Cape Verde with 11 Points with Three wins, Two draws and a lose to the Super Eagles in the reverse fixture in Mindelo.
The Lone Stars of Liberia ended the qualifiers with a 3-1 win over the Central African Republic, to finish Third on the log with Six Point, while Central African Republic ended the qualifiers with Four point.
