Eagles hammer Ivory Coast 4-1

Sport
Nigeria inched nearer their first participation in the Championship of African Nations on Saturday with a 4-1 victory over their counterparts from Ivory Coast.

LAGOS — Nigeria inched nearer their first participation in the Championship of African Nations (CHAN) on Saturday with a 4-1 victory over their counterparts from Ivory Coast at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, Nigeria.

Nigerian Tribune

Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) 2013 revelation Sunday Mba again left a sour taste in the mouth of the Ivorians as he had a hand in all the goals scored by Nigeria against the Elephants.

Mba, it was, who scored the all-important second goal against the Didier Drogba-inspired Ivorian team in the quarter-final of Afcon 2013 in South Africa in February.

On Saturday, the Eagles scored their first goal of the match in the 14th minute after Mohammed Gambo collected a pass from Mba. The Kano Pillars player then turned before placing the ball to the far right of goalkeeper Gbohouo Sylvain.

Fourteen minutes later, Mba registered his name on the scorers sheet with his left-footer hanging in the far corner of the net.

What would have been the most beautiful goal of the day was disallowed by the referee. Solomon Kwambe’s pullout had connected Gambo whose header flatly beat the Ivorian keeper, but it was ruled for offside.

Much later, a defensive slip on the part of the Eagles’ Ezekiel Mba gave the Ivorians their only goal when Roger Assale meandered through Eagles players before releasing the ball to Tiecoura Coulibaly who slotted the ball past captain Chigozie Agbim in goal for Nigeria.

In the second half, Mba converted a penalty-kick for Nigeria’s third goal, after an Ivorian handled the ball in the 18-yard box. The referee’s decision did not go down well with Ivorian player Assale. This earned him a red card.

Assale was to be followed by Gloudoeu Baressi after he was issued the second yellow card of the match.

The last goal of the match came in the 87th minute. Mba had run down the right flank, then released the ball to Ifeanyi Ede, who took his time before slotting a low grounder into their opponets’net.

The second leg of the match comes up in a fortnight.