Pharaohs Crush Sorry Eagles
Defending African champions Egypt came from a goal down to storm to a convincing 3-1 victory over Nigeria in their 2010 Africa cup of Nations Group C opener in Lubango on Tuesday.
Just as they did two years ago in Ghana, they opened up the tournament with an emphatic victory. It was not all that simple though for Egypt as Nigeria looked strong early on and took the lead through a well struck goal from Chinedu Obasi in the 12th minute.
But a defensive lapse by Nigeria allowed Emad Meteab to level matters in the 34th minute, and Egypt dominated the second half and took the lead through skipper Ahmed Hassan’s deflected shot in the 54th minute.
Substitute Mohamed Nagui completed the scoring with a cool finish in the 87th minute to ensure the six times African champions collected the three points.
The Pharaohs were sprightly early on it was them who made the first opening towards goal in the 5th minute as Mohamed Zidan was played in on goal with a through ball from skipper Hassan, which caught the Nigerian defence ball watching. Zidan, from just inside the Nigerian penalty area, unleashed a powerful shot at goal which had Enyeama jumping off the ground to push over his goal.
After doing all the early running Egypt began to wilt in the heat and Nigeria, with their first real threat at the Egyptian goal, took the lead. Kalu Uche played a neat pass to Obasi, who moved the ball with his right foot before unleashing a powerful shot from the right which flew past Egyptian keeper El Hadry.
Obasi was giving coach Shuaibu Amodu reason to smile as the Hoffenheim striker justified his selection in the starting eleven ahead of Nwanko Kanu and Obafemi Martins. Nigeria were looking dangerous after taking the lead and were very effective in launching attacks down the flanks.
At the back they were not looking particularly firm though and were exposed in the 23rd minute by Zidan, who took on and beat both Yusufs – Ayila and Mohamed – and then let fly at goal from the edge of the area, but missed the target.
On 33 minutes Taiwo managed to beat Egyptian defender Ahmed Fathi on the right and sent in a pass to the danger area, but Uche could only knock the ball over El Hadry.
Egypt restarted the game quickly and Ahmed Hassan played a wonderful through ball to Meteab. Enyeama ran way out of his goal area to stop him, but all the Egyptian striker did was skip over him and with the goal open in front of him, Meteab accepted the invitation and stroked the ball home to level the scores.
Nigeria began the second half hoping to redeem themselves and pushed up front early on looking for an early second goal, but nine minutes after the restart it was Egypt who were celebrating taking the lead.
Zidan held the ball up on the right edge of the Nigerian penalty area and gently played the ball back to Hassan, who struck the ball as it rolled to him. The ball took a huge deflection off Nigerian defender Taiwo, which deceived Enyeama, and went over the line to see Egypt go 2-1 up.
Meteab managed to beat the Nigerian offside trap on the hour-mark, but from a few yards from goal, shot over the bar. Two minutes later and Enyeama was called upon again, this time he was diving at full stretch to turn round his right hand post a well curled free-kick by Zidan from around 20-yards from goal.
Nigeria were hardly threatening the Egyptian goal and in this spell of the game they were being frustrated by strong Egyptian defending.
Their inability to get a clear sight of goal showed when Mikel shot wide of El Hadry from way out. In the final three minutes Egypt made certain of the victory with an insurance third goal, substitute Mohamed Nagui running on to a through ball before hitting the ball along the ground to the right of Enyeama.
Egypt and Nigeria have now met a total of eight times in the Africa Cup of Nations, and Tuesday’s victory was just Egypt’s second against the Super Eagles, and their first since 1963 when they beat Nigeria 6-3 in Kumasi. That game in Ghana 47 years ago was also the first time the teams met at the Nations Cup.
Defending African champions Egypt came from a goal down to storm to a convincing 3-1 victory over Nigeria in their 2010 Africa cup of Nations Group C opener in Lubango on Tuesday.
Just as they did two years ago in Ghana, they opened up the tournament with an emphatic victory. It was not all that simple though for Egypt as Nigeria looked strong early on and took the lead through a well struck goal from Chinedu Obasi in the 12th minute.
But a defensive lapse by Nigeria allowed Emad Meteab to level matters in the 34th minute, and Egypt dominated the second half and took the lead through skipper Ahmed Hassan’s deflected shot in the 54th minute.
Substitute Mohamed Nagui completed the scoring with a cool finish in the 87th minute to ensure the six times African champions collected the three points.
The Pharaohs were sprightly early on it was them who made the first opening towards goal in the 5th minute as Mohamed Zidan was played in on goal with a through ball from skipper Hassan, which caught the Nigerian defence ball watching. Zidan, from just inside the Nigerian penalty area, unleashed a powerful shot at goal which had Enyeama jumping off the ground to push over his goal.
After doing all the early running Egypt began to wilt in the heat and Nigeria, with their first real threat at the Egyptian goal, took the lead. Kalu Uche played a neat pass to Obasi, who moved the ball with his right foot before unleashing a powerful shot from the right which flew past Egyptian keeper El Hadry.
Obasi was giving coach Shuaibu Amodu reason to smile as the Hoffenheim striker justified his selection in the starting eleven ahead of Nwanko Kanu and Obafemi Martins. Nigeria were looking dangerous after taking the lead and were very effective in launching attacks down the flanks.
At the back they were not looking particularly firm though and were exposed in the 23rd minute by Zidan, who took on and beat both Yusufs – Ayila and Mohamed – and then let fly at goal from the edge of the area, but missed the target.
On 33 minutes Taiwo managed to beat Egyptian defender Ahmed Fathi on the right and sent in a pass to the danger area, but Uche could only knock the ball over El Hadry.
Egypt restarted the game quickly and Ahmed Hassan played a wonderful through ball to Meteab. Enyeama ran way out of his goal area to stop him, but all the Egyptian striker did was skip over him and with the goal open in front of him, Meteab accepted the invitation and stroked the ball home to level the scores.
Nigeria began the second half hoping to redeem themselves and pushed up front early on looking for an early second goal, but nine minutes after the restart it was Egypt who were celebrating taking the lead.
Zidan held the ball up on the right edge of the Nigerian penalty area and gently played the ball back to Hassan, who struck the ball as it rolled to him. The ball took a huge deflection off Nigerian defender Taiwo, which deceived Enyeama, and went over the line to see Egypt go 2-1 up.
Meteab managed to beat the Nigerian offside trap on the hour-mark, but from a few yards from goal, shot over the bar. Two minutes later and Enyeama was called upon again, this time he was diving at full stretch to turn round his right hand post a well curled free-kick by Zidan from around 20-yards from goal.
Nigeria were hardly threatening the Egyptian goal and in this spell of the game they were being frustrated by strong Egyptian defending.
Their inability to get a clear sight of goal showed when Mikel shot wide of El Hadry from way out. In the final three minutes Egypt made certain of the victory with an insurance third goal, substitute Mohamed Nagui running on to a through ball before hitting the ball along the ground to the right of Enyeama.
Egypt and Nigeria have now met a total of eight times in the Africa Cup of Nations, and Tuesday’s victory was just Egypt’s second against the Super Eagles, and their first since 1963 when they beat Nigeria 6-3 in Kumasi. That game in Ghana 47 years ago was also the first time the teams met at the Nations Cup.
