NIGERIA MASTERWEB DAILY NEWS

*Nigeria, Cameroon & New Zealand Qualify For World Cup

By Masterweb News Desk

Nigeria Super Eagles qualified for the world cup after beating Kenya's Harambee Stars 3-2 in Nairobi on Saturday. Nigeria qualified with a late rally offensive against the Kenyans. Cameroon and New Zealand also qualified Saturday. New Zealand defeated Bahrain 1-0 and Cameroon sent Morocco packing with a 2-0 Group A win in Morocco.

The match started with Nigeria against the wall 15 minutes into the game, when Kenyan skipper Dennis Oliech scored the first goal of the game. Kenyan fans turned the stadium into a market square with loud cheers of their national team. The Eagles seemed not to lose confidence as they rallied and mounted pressure on the Kenyans who held their lead into the second half. ( Continues below..... )

As the game progress past mid point in the second half, desperate moves by Nigeria at scoring were made, one of which 62 minutes into the game paid off. Nigerian striker Obafemi Martins connecting a rebound of Osazee Odemwingie's header shot what was the second goal of the game into the net. Thereafter the scores were 1-1.

Three minutes later the Eagles turned the table, taking the lead when Everton striker, Aiyegbeni in a crowded Kenya penalty box tussle fired a shot pass the goalkeeper. In the 78th minute, the Kenyans dribbled the ball beating Nigerian defense and Allan Wefende connecting, shot pass the goalie into the net to make it a 2-2 tally. Five minutes later, Martins shot Nigeria back into the lead to secure her a berth in next year's World Cup in South Africa.

Nigeria's qualification for the World Cup was made possible with the defeat of Tunisia in Maputo-Mozambique. Nigeria's win in Nairobi and Tunisia's Maputo loss put Nigeria on top of the group's table with twelve points and Tunisia second with eleven points.