The home-based Super Eagles sparked up the just concluded 2014 African Nations Championship with a heroic 4-3 comeback win over Morocco. ’TANA AIYEJINA looks at some other memorable moments when the country’s teams had to come back from the fringes of defeat to earn favourable results
USSR 4 Nigeria 4 (1989 U-20 World Cup)
Who would have thought that an unheralded Nigerian side would upturn a four-goal deficit to beat giants USSR in a FIFA competition?
That is exactly what happened at the 1989 U-20 World Cup in Damman, Saudi Arabia.
The Europeans romped into a four-goal lead through Sergei Kiriakov (30th and 58th minutes),Bakhva Tedeev (45th minute) and Oleg Salenko (46th minute).
Already looking ahead to a semi-final place, coach Boris Ignatiev pulled off danger man Kiriakov, who gave the Nigerian defence trouble all day.
It was a costly mistake, as the USSR firepower diminished.
Christopher Ohenhen brought Nigeria some hope with two well-taken free-kicks in the 61st and 75th minutes and defender Samuel Elijah made score 4-3 in the 83rd minute.
As the Europeans were wondering what hit them, left-back Nduka Ugbade grabbed the equaliser a minute later to complete a heroic comeback for Nigeria.
Ohenhen, Peter Ogaba, Michael Onyemachara, Mutiu Adepoju and Elijah converted Nigeria’s five kicks in the ensuing penalty shootout while Mirjalal Kasimov missed USSR’s third to send the Flying Eagles to the semi-final of the U-20 World Cup.
That feat is now famously referred to as Miracle of Damman.
Substitute Chinedu Odiari, came on for Oladuni Oyekale in the 61st minute of the match and the Nigerian side started scoring.
He recalls that gallant outing.
The defender told SUNDAY PUNCH, “I had watched the game from the bench and I knew who our problem was: Salenko. When I got in, I told Elijah that we had to stop him. He (Salenko) made a wrong move and we got him where we wanted to and their attack broke down.
“I am a defender who doesn’t kick the ball anyhow. So, I made sure we had the ball on the ground and we were in control. With God on our side, the goals started coming and we could have finished that game without resorting to penalties, had Peter Ogaba converted the last minute chance he had. Thank God we came out victorious eventually.”
Brazil 3 Nigeria 4 (1996 Atlanta Olympics)
Having beaten Nigeria 1-0 in the group stage of the competition, Brazil entered the semi-final clash with Nigeria’s U-23 team in the football event of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, brimming with confidence.
And the South American giants got off to business immediately when Flavio Conceicao scored as early as the first minute.
But the score line read 1-1 19 minutes later when left-back Roberto Carlos conceded an own goal. However, the Nigerians found themselves on the back foot once more when the dreaded Bebeto (28th minute) and Conceicao (38th minute) added further goals to put the Brazilians 3-1 up.
Not many sides would dream of a comeback after going down 3-1 against Brazil but with 12 minutes left to play, forward Victor Ikpeba rifled home Nigeria’s second.
Most Nigerians were somewhat contented with the 3-1 score line at that point: after all, it was against almighty Brazil and the U-23 side still stood a chance of fighting for a bronze medal in the third place match.
But the precocious Nigerian captain Nwankwo Kanu completed a valiant comeback as he clinched the equaliser on the stroke of full time.
Kanu would again grab the winner with a sublime finish four minutes into extra time before 78, 587 fans at the Sanford Stadium, Athens. The ‘Golden Goal’ ended the match and Nigeria went on to claim their first gold medal in Olympic football, beating another South American side, Argentina, 3-2 in the final.
Morocco 3 Nigeria 4 (2014 CHAN)
Nigerians view South Africa as a fertile land to harvest football trophies. Well, they have every reason to, having beaten the South Africans severally right in front of their fans and winning the Africa Cup of Nations, African Women Championship and the African Youth Championship amongst others in Madiba’s land.
Looking to repeat their 2013 AFCON victory in the home-based edition known as African Nations Championship, Nigeria defeated Bafana Bafana 3-1 in Group A to set up a quarter-final clash against Morocco’s Atlas Lions.
A Mohsine Moutouali brace and an Iajour Mouhssine strike gave the Lions a 3-0 lead before the break.
But whatever coach Stephen Keshi told his boys during the break appeared to have worked as midfielder Ugonna Uzochukwu began the titanic comeback for the Nigerians with a strike four minutes into the second half.
Rabiu Ali smashed home the Eagles’ second from the edge of the box in the 56th minute, the exciting Enugu Rangers winger, Ejike Uzoenyi, then completed the extraordinary comeback for the Eagles in the 90th minute, when his shot from outside the box beat the Moroccan keeper Nabil Lamyarheri.
Substitute Aliyu Ibrahim sealed the historic win in the 11th minute of extra time. Lamyarheri fumbled a tricky long ball from Uzoenyi and Ibrahim gladly shot into an empty net amidst a sea of Moroccan legs to spark up rapturous celebrations on the Nigerian bench and on the stands.
Zambia 1 Nigeria 2 (1994 AFCON)
This game was emotion-laden. Chipolopolo, with an entirely new squad, reached the final of the AFCON in Tunisia after the first team crashed into the sea off the coast of Libreville, Gabon, killing all aboard in 1993 on the way to a 1994 World Cup qualifier in Senegal. The world was behind the Zambians and they scored first through Elijah Litana in the third minute. The Zambians knew Rashidi Yekini and the array of stars in the Nigerian team but they didn’t know a certain Emmanuel Amuneke, who had not been used by Dutchman Clemens Westerhof prior to the final.
Two minutes later, Amuneke wiped out the lead before he wrapped up a second title for the Eagles two minutes into the second half.
Senegal 1 Nigeria 2 (2000 AFCON)
As co-hosts of the 2000 AFCON, this is a match Nigerians will not forget in a hurry. With over 60,000 vociferous fans cheering the Super Eagles inside the National Stadium, Lagos, a stubborn Senegal side were undeterred, with Kalilou Fadiga, giving the Teranga Lions a 7th minute lead to silence the home crowd.
The Eagles time and time again failed to convert begging chances that came their way. The time was ticking fast and the fans were apprehensive; they needed a third AFCON title on home soil.
And then, Kashimawo Laloko, a former Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Association, walked to the back of the Senegalese goal and removed what he claimed was a magical mixture that prevented Nigeria from scoring.
He was expelled for his ‘unsporting conduct’ by CAF, but Laloko seemed vindicated as Julius Aghahowa secured the much-awaited equaliser in the 85th minute.
Aghahowa sealed the nerve-wrecking encounter with another goal in the 92nd minute to send Nigeria’s football-mad population into wild frenzy.
In the end, it was Aghahowa and Laloko, who emerged heroes of the night.
Australia 2 Nigeria 3 (1985 U-20 World Cup)
The Flying Eagles were on the brink of a first time qualification for the knockout stages of the 1985 FIFA U-20 World Cup but having beaten Canada 2-0 and lost 2-1 to hosts USSR, they needed a win against Australia in their final Group C game to advance.
But the young Nigerians were stunned when the Australians romped into a two-goal lead in the first 38 minutes courtesy of strikes from John Panagis and Cris Kalantzis (penalty).
All hope seemed lost until Niyi Adeleye began an unlikely resurgence when he pulled a goal back in the 63rd minute. Tournament joint top scorer Monday Odiaka restored parity in the 78th minute before Mark Anunobi sealed victory a minute later and Nigeria smiled to their first ever qualification to the quarter-final of an U-20 FIFA World Cup.
Cameroon 4 Nigeria 5 (1985 U-20 World Cup qualifiers)
Nigerians were hoping to see the Flying Eagles attend a second consecutive U-20 World Cup after first qualification in 1983 but their dreams were almost dashed when the team faced elimination in the hands of Cameroon in the quarter-finals of the African Youth Championship, which was then played on a home and away basis.
The Flying Eagles lost the first leg 3-0 to the Young Lions in Yaoundé and parading stars like the Biyik brothers, Kana and Oman, Emile Mbouh and Cyril Makanaky, nobody envisaged a comeback from Nigeria in the return leg in Lagos.
Inside a packed National Stadium, Surulere, midfielder Austin Igbinobaro converted an early free-kick and deadly striker, Monday Odiaka, who only saw few minutes of action in the first leg, grabbed Nigeria’s second and third.
But the Cameroonians pulled one back courtesy of Oman Biyik as the first half ended 3-1 and the Nigerians once more had an uphill task to climb. They got the two goals they needed in the second half, to win 5-4 on aggregate and seal qualification for the 1985 U-20 World Cup.
An ecstatic Nigerian journalist screamed after the feat, “Today, God is a Nigerian.”
Odiaka, a major factor in that epic performance, told the rest of the story in an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH.
He said, “At the tunnel, Festus Okubule (a Nigerian referee) said, ‘Boys, you need two goals to qualify,’ so we picked up courage and went in for the second half. They brought in (Samson) Siasia for (Mark) Anunobi and I moved to the left because of my versatility.
“But the Cameroonians were still focused on me. We had a corner, and three of them ran after me, leaving Siasia free to score the fourth. Dominic scored the fifth goal and the stadium went wild. I scored another goal, a good goal but the ref disallowed it.”
Germany 3 Nigeria 3 (2009 U-17 World Cup)
Hosts/defending champions Nigeria were looking forward to win a fourth U-17 world title on home soil and they began their campaign in front of 21, 300 fans at the National Stadium, Abuja, against Germany, who they had beaten 3-1 two years earlier, on the way to a third title.
But the Golden Eaglets were stunned when Lennart Thy, Shkodran Mustafi and Mario Goetze gave the Germans a 3-0 lead.
Coach John Obuh’s boys settled down to business after that and gave the fans, who were already booing them, something to cheer with a first goal from Stanley ‘Little Messi’ Okoro, from the penalty spot.
Kenneth Omeruo and Edafe Egbedi completed the return from the dead for the African powerhouse.
USA 1 Nigeria 1 (2010 U-20 Women’s World Cup)
The score line might not be high but the intense pressure before this quarter-final game between Nigeria and USA at the Germany 2010 U-20 Women’s World Cup was overwhelming. Nigeria had never defeated the Americans at any level of women football and it looked like the dominance wasn’t about to end when Amber Brooks gave them the lead in the 9th minute.
Try as hard as they could, it took the Falconets 70 minutes to grab the equaliser courtesy of the hardworking Helen Ukaonu at the Impuls Arena, Augsburg.
Extra time didn’t produce further goals from both sides. Joy Jegede, Ukaonu, Esther Sunday and Desire Oparanozie converted Nigeria’s first four kicks in that order while Christine Nairn had her effort saved by goalkeeper Alaba Jonathan and Sydney Leroux missed target for the Americans.
The Falconets marched on to the semi-final and final for the first time ever.
Honduras 3 Nigeria 3 (2000 Sydney Olympics)
Still savouring the gold medal feat achieved four years earlier at Atlanta, Nigeria’s U-23 side arrived Sydney with huge expectations.
As champions of the men’s football event, followers of the game felt an opening game against ‘minnows’ Honduras was the ideal way for Nigeria to begin their title defence.
But Honduras shocked Nigeria with a David Suazo opener in the 35th minute. The impressive Bright Igbinadolor equaled score in the 50th minute.
Nigerians were stunned again courtesy of further goals by Julio Leon (60th minute) and Suazo (76th minute).
Two minutes later, the gangling Victor Agali reduced score for Nigeria but they had to sweat for a hard-earned equaliser as the Hondurans defended in numbers.
The game seemed to have gone Honduras way until Yakubu Ayegbeni grabbed the much-awaited equaliser a minute into added time.
Copyright PUNCH.
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