NIGERIA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - Nigeria fans celebrate as team qualifies for World Cup

Record ID: 236257

  • Title: NIGERIA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - Nigeria fans celebrate as team qualifies for World Cup
  • Date: 17th November 2013
  • Summary: THIS EDIT CONTAINS MATERIAL WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY 4:3 LAGOS, CALABAR, NIGERIA (NOVEMBER 16, 2013) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) NIGERIAN FANS CELEBRATING AFTER QUALIFYING FOR WORLD CUP BY RUNNING ONTO PITCH (SOUNDBITE) (English) ETHIOPIA'S NATIONAL TEAM COACH, SEWNET BISHAW, SAYING: BISHAW: ''Who won the game?" REPORTER: ''Nigeria won the game." BISHAW: "It is the referee who won the game. It is the referee because he denied two penalties there. He denied two penalties and he gave a penalty for free and the second goal, our players were on the way to make wall, when they were on their way to make wall, one of the Nigerian players kicked the ball and scored it. It was not a fair decision by the referee.'' (SOUNDBITE) (English) STEPHEN KESHI, NIGERIA'S 'S NATIONAL TEAM COACH, SAYING: ''It wasn't a little bit complex in the game, it was just that there was so much anxiety because the players wanted to do so much well, they want to do good for the fans, they want to show their class of being African champion and all these things and of course the weather was a little bit hot, was part of the challenges that we were facing but you know, the moment we scored the first goal, we just said "okay, relax a little bit because we don't need to push too hard, they need to come out" but they refused to come out, they were very smart too, until we scored the second goal.'' NIGERIA FAN DANCING, FLYING NIGERIA FLAG IN RAIN, DROPPING TO KNEES AND KISSING GROUND
  • Embargoed: 2nd December 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA6XFFJ658XFNWBF27U6AD8QL06
  • Story Text: A penalty from Victor Moses and a sweetly struck free kick from Victor Obinna on Saturday (November 16) ensured Nigeria became the first African country to qualify for next year's World Cup finals after beating Ethiopia 4-1 on aggregate in their playoff tie.
    The 2-0 home win in the second leg in Calabar means the reigning African champions have reached the finals for the fifth time, having played in four of the last five tournaments.
    Moses tucked the spot kick away in the 20th minute while Obinna provided a rare piece of magic during a dull game, curling home a free kick eight minutes from time soon after coming on as as substitute.
    Nigeria were runaway favourites to finish the job after winning in Addis Ababa in last month's first leg but they were largely uninspiring.
    Perhaps that was because their progress to Brazil was never seriously in doubt after Ethiopia defender Aynalem Hailu was harshly adjudged to have handled in the penalty area as he took a shot in his midriff but could do nothing to prevent it running up his outstretched arm.
    Hailu will want to forget the tie as soon as he can as he also gave away the penalty at the conclusion of the first leg which initially tipped the tie Nigeria's way.Moses sent Ethiopia keeper Sisay Bancha the wrong way to the delight of the home crowd, who were drenched by a tropical storm in the second half but still celebrated with some passion after the final whistle.
    Sewnet Bishaw, Ethiopia's national team coach expressed his disappointment at the referee.

    "It is the referee who won the game, it is the referee because he denied two penalties there," he said.

    "He denied two penalties and he gave a penalty for free and the second goal, our players were on the way to make wall, to make wall, one of the Nigerian players kicked the ball and scored it. It was not a fair decision by the referee,'' he added.
    Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi said it was a great effort from Nigeria, adding that the temperature of the match played a huge part.
    ''It wasn't a little bit complex in the game, it's just that there was so much anxiety because the players wanted to do so much well, they want to do good for the fans, they want to show their class of being African champion and all these things," he said.

    "Of course the weather was a little bit hot, was part of the challenges that we were facing but you know, the moment we scored the first goal, we just said okay, relax a little bit because we don't need to push too hard, they need to come out but they refused to come out, they were very smart too until we scored the second goal,'' he added.
    ? Another three African playoff ties will be decided over the next four days.
    Nigeria qualify for a fifth World Cup finals appearance in Brazil, having played in four of the last five tournaments.
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