By Amaechi Agbo
Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Tuesday fumbled into the last qualifying round of the 2022 World Cup after they laboured to a 1-1 draw against a resolute Cape Verde side in Lagos.
Striker Victor Osimhen scored the first goal for the Eagles in the first minute of the game but the Cape Verdeans equalised in the 5th minute
Inclusion of returnee striker, Odion Ighalo added no value to the team as they struggled to breakdown the rearguard of the visitors.
The match played at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos saw the visitors truncate Eagles plan and always made dangerous incursions in the half of the Eagles with feracious attack.
Super Eagles went into the match knowing that a draw would guarantee them a place in the playoff and not unexpectedly, they played like a team without motivation.
The Cape Verde coach, Bubista, made five changes in the second half as they went in search of a winner but despite a flurry of corner kicks and free kicks in the last 10 minutes, the Eagles held firm to book their place amongst Africa’s last 10, who will fight for the five slots in March 2020.
The Eagles who have come under severe scrutiny over their below par performances have joined, Morocco, Senegal, Algeria, Mali, Egypt, Ghana and DR Congo in the play-off
The play-off will be determined in a home-and-away bases with the winners of the two legs qualifying for the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar.
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