….lose 1-0 to 120th-ranked CAR
BY OBA ADEDARASIMI
Super Eagles were condemned to a 1-0 home defeat by the Central African Republic in their 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying fixture on Thursday.
The three-time African champions were lackluster for the most part of the evening as they couldn’t break their visitors’ defence at Teslim Balogun Stadium were made to pay for it in the 90th minute, through Karl Namnganda’s strike.
The Central African Republic were solid and more coordinated at the back, and they got the reward for their tenacity as they took advantage of a miscalculation between William Troost-Ekong and Leon Balogun, which left Namnganda to fire his shot past a helpless goalkeeper Francis Uzoho.
Following the lack of cutting edge in the first half, Gernot Rohr decided to make a tactical change with Union Berlin striker Taiwo Awoniyi replacing Iheanacho immediately after the break.
It was Awoniyi’s maiden outing for the Super Eagles and he came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 53rd minute after Osimhen’s shot struck the post but his effort was off target.
Despite the dropped points in Lagos, Gernot Rohr’s men remain at the top of Group C with six points after three games while the Central African Republic moved up to the third spot with four points from the same number of games.
Earlier on Thursday, Cape Verde Islands fought back from behind to defeat Liberia 2-1 at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium, Accra.
They are level on four points with CAR while Liberia dropped to the bottom with three points.
Nigeria will continue their journey to Qatar 2022 with a trip to Douala for their return fixture against the Central African Republic on Sunday.
