Yesterday Nigeria’s Super Eagles consolidated their leadership of Group C of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers with a 2-1 victory against Cape Verde. The victory in Mindelo lifted the Super Eagles to six points, three above second placed Liberia who defeated Central African Republic on Monday in Monrovia.
Both Cape Verde and CAR are tied on one point apiece to stay third and fourth on the Group C log. Napoli’s forward, Victor Osimhen leveled the game for Nigeria in the 29th minute after the host had gained advantage as early as the 19th minute.
Dylan dos Santos steered the home team in front after an intense back-and-forth by both sides, when he slipped behind the Eagles’ rearguard and slammed a rocket of a shot past goalkeeper Maduka Okoye.
On a day Captain Ahmed Musa was celebrating his 100th cap for Nigeria, the Turkish Fatih Karagumruk winger was determined to leave the island nation with a perfect gift. That gift however came off the feet of Cape Verde’s Kenny Santos.
In the 75th minute, a spectacular back pass by Santos to his goalkeeper earned Nigeria an own goal as the ball floated above the goaltender and landed in the net. The goal put Nigeria in front and eventually gave the Super Eagles the three points on the night.
Earlier, Chidera Ejuke, Osimhen and century history maker Musa all rattled the hosts goalkeeper severally in response to the initial attempts to force Nigeria to be brow-beat. Lively Ejuke again rattled the Cape Verde number one, before Osimhen came close to adding another one from a corner with a minute to recess.
With the victory, the Super Eagles earned for themselves the N20million Win bonus promised them by the owner of Air Peace, the official airline of the team. Allen Onyema had at the point of the team’s departure for Cape Verde promised to reward Super Eagles if the Match -day 2 Clash and put smiles on the faces of Nigerians with the victory.
