Football Dispatch

Wednesday Football
30 January 2008
by Jerrad Peters

African Nations Cup
The Super Eagles finally used their wings on Tuesday. With John Utaka and Peter Odemwingie applying consistent pressure down the right and left flanks, Nigeria booked a last-gasp berth in the quarterfinals of the 2008 African Nations Cup. By so doing, they halted a goalscoring drought which had lasted a shocking stretch of 233-minutes. So impotent were their performances against Cote d’Ivoire and Mali that several journalists decided Super Chickens to be a more suitable moniker.

Berti Vogts, it seems, got the message. The Nigeria manager assembled a predominantly attacking lineup against Benin. Everton striker Yakubu and Getafe’s Ikechukwu Uche spearheaded the assault while Utaka and Odemwingie created opportunities in the wide areas. For the second match in a row, the 61-year-old omitted captain Nwankwo Kanu while Newcastle’s Obafemi Martins was left out of the side as well.

At the outset, it seemed a case of same-old, same-old for the two-time African Cup champions. Yakubu might have had a tap-in before the first minute had run off the watch; but the 25-year-old fluffed on the chance. Utaka, as well, came close to scoring from a Taye Taiwo cross.

On the other side of the ball, Benin failed to muster anything of quality. Mouritala Ogoubiyi’s long-range effort was easily dealt with by goalkeeper Austin Ejide; and The Squirrels were otherwise unheard from during the course of the opening period. Still, as the players entered the tunnel at the break, Nigeria had yet to produce a single shot on target.

All that changed after the restart. Utaka and Odemwingie finally wore down the opposing full-backs as Yakubu and Uche persisted in buzzing about the 18-yard box. Finally, after nearly an hour, it paid off. Taiwo’s powerful free-kick was spilled by Benin ‘keeper Chitou Rachad and Odemwingie pounced. The Lokomotiv Moscow forward arched a delicious pass across the face of goal for John Mikel Obi to stroke past Rachad. After 53-minutes, Nigeria had their goal.

But for more poor finishing, they might have had two or three by the time Yakubu put them into the knockout stages on 86-minutes. Mikel’s through-ball across the centre of the park caught the powerful striker in stride before being stroked into the goal by the Everton man. It was a superb finish; and Nigeria will require more of the same if they are to progress beyond hosts Ghana on Sunday.

Cote d’Ivoire have endured no such lack of quality in the attacking third. Their three-goal outburst against Mali, Tuesday, increased their tournament-best scoring total to eight. The Eagles, on the other hand, bowed out of the competition at the group phase – the unfortunate victims in the so-called group of death.

Indeed, Mali’s poor showing somewhat vindicates Nigeria. After Frederic Kanoute produced a narrow, 1-0 win over Benin in their opening fixture, Jean-Francois Jodar’s squad failed to notch another goal. Curiously, the typically lethal Kanoute was substituted at the interval against Cote d’Ivoire.

By that point, Mali trailed 1-0. Didier Drogba, in his 50th-appearance for his country, had drawn first blood after just nine minutes. Running onto a brilliant Yaya Toure pass, the Chelsea striker clinically struck the ball across the face of goal. From there, Mali were vanquished.

Benfica defender Marc Zoro nearly had the 2006 runners-up 2-0 ahead in the 18th-minute. The 24-year-old, however, headed wide of goal from in close. Similarly, Dramane Traore missed a dangerous header as Mali made a rare foray into opposing territory against the run of play.

Still in the mix after the break, it was a curious decision from Jodar that had Kanoute switched for Momo Sissoko. The newly-signed Juventus midfielder made a quick impression, however – canceling the significant influence of Yaya in the middle of the park.

The bounce was quickly out of Mali’s step, though; and Zoro’s header on 54-minutes sealed the result for Cote d’Ivoire. From there, Mali seemed resigned to their fate; and it came as no surprise when Boubacar Sanogo opened his account with four minutes remaining on the clock. The in-form Werder Bremen striker ran onto a rebound from goalkeeper Mahamadou Sidebe and tucked home his first goal of the competition. Cote d’Ivoire, having won Group B, will now face Group A runners-up Guinea in the quarterfinals on Sunday.