Home-based Super Eagles coach, Salisu Yusuf, is still on nine after his wards picked the
Africa Championship ticket in Kano at the weekend.
The team braced up to a good challenge, soared high and put the Squirrels in their natural
habitat, the hole.
A goal in each half and a penalty save in the crucial second half gave Nigeria a 2-0 win to
scale through to Kenya 2018 on a 2-1 aggregate.
Home boy, Rabiu Ali of Kano Pillars, launched Nigeria into the victory path with his
clinical finish of interchange of passes in the 22nf minute of the encounter watched by a
capacity crowd at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano.
The goal put Nigeria at par with Benin Republic which had recorded a 1-0 win last weekend at
home.
Kingsley Eduwo gave Nigeria the advantage two minutes into the second half when he nodded
home the second goal.
Benin got a lifeline in form of a penalty kick award but Ikechukwu Ezenwa in goal for
Nigeria saved the situation.
“I am extremely excited about this victory. I thanked Allah for making it possible for my
team to scale this hurdle and qualified Nigeria for the CHAN event. We will try our best to
make Nigeria proud in the competition,”he said.
The Super Eagles have now made it through on third consecutive occasion for the African
Nations Championship. Nigeria joined Libya which on Friday became the first qualifiers.
Libya playing their home match in Sfax, Tunisia owing to political instability at home drew
1-1 with Algeria to advance 3-1 on aggregate. Morocco also beat Egypt 3-1 in Rabat also on
Friday to qualify.
Also qualified as at the time of this report, are the Zambians. They beat South Africa 2-0
of advance 4-2 on aggregate.
