SPLASH & GRAB
Arsenal ace Alex Iwobi fired Nigeria to a stunning win over bitter rivals Cameroon and into the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations last night.
Two goals in three minutes turned the game on its head as the Super Eagles came from behind to knock out the stunned holders.
Cameroon had looked set to continue their march towards a second successive African title when Stephane Bahoken and ClintonNjie struck just before half-time to overhaul Odion Ighalo’s opener.
Former Watford striker Ighalo (right) levelled in the 63rd minute amid suspicions of offside before Iwobi snatched the winner three minutes later.
This might have turned out to be a thriller but neither team had been in the best of form at the tournament as they each finished second in their group.
So it was hardly surprising to see an abundance of defensive mistakes, although there was also much to admire in an end-to-end match.
It was a scrappy opening with lots of misplaced passes and Nigeria’s opener in the 19th minute was in keeping with the untidy play.
Cameroon’s defence failed to deal with a free-kick into the box and when Kenneth Omeruo found Ighalo, the striker reacted quickly to fire in a shot which was deflected into the net.
But the game turned dramatically just before the break as Cameroon, who had not scored in their previous two games, struck twice in just three minutes. Christian Bassogog wriggled past his marker on the right and sent a perfect cross into the area, leaving Bahoken with the formality of turning the ball into the net in the 41st minute. Nigeria had barely time to recover when Cameroon struck again with Bahoken turning provider as he flicked the ball on to Njie who raced past Olaoluwa Aina and drilled the ball into the net. Nigeria keeper Victor Akyepi’s desperate last-ditch save prevented an own goal early in the second half before the game took another twist. Ighalo volleyed the leveller from Ahmed Musa’s clever, chested pass before turning provider for Iwobi to beat Andre Onana with a calm finish.