MEN: Anguish as god of soccer departs Abuja!

Nigeria 0 v 2 Scorers: (8) Marcus Mokake Mwambo 44th min, (3) Esola Paul 84th min

Great goal keeping, physical strenght, spirited play and sheer determination got the soccer gold for the young indomitable lioness of Cameroon ahead of the rebirth Dream Team III of Nigeria here in Abuja.

Appointing Paul Akono, the Sydney 2000 Olympic soccer winning coach, did all the magic… Cameroon had never lost any competitive soccer final to Nigeria prior to this game and this record they were prepared to stretch, thus setting up an explosive and pulsating tie. Tactical blunder, ineffective substitution and myopic approach on the part of Coach Musa Abdullah dashed the dreams of the Dream Team III. Critics and cynics were stunned by his decision to leave out Emmanuel Okoduwa and Haruna Babangida on the bench, triggering questions on his ability to manage a national side.

The tension soaked match started with a brave Dream III showing flashes of determination and deft touches. Continuing where they left off in the semi-finals against the meteors of Ghana  (a 3-0 victory it was) considered as a flash in the pan as soon as the young lions got into the game. As early as the 18 minute was goal bound Ngon Guy, but for the swift reaction of Rotimi Sunday in goal for Nigeria stopping his runs.

As the first half looked evident to be heading for a goaless draw (no thanks to the great misses that characterised the half) a horrible Nigerian defence failed to clear a harmless ball leaving Marcus to score a debatable goal (Suspicion of handball ignored by the South African referee).

Although, the second half began like the first, with the Dream team dashing forward in search of an equaliser, the combative Cameroonian goaltender TIGNYEMB made brave saves to the anguish of the Nigerian fans. Getting a huge applauds after a splendid save off the header from Segun Abiodun and blinder from Uche Kalu in the 71 minute.

A bizarre reaction from the fans over questionable refereeing went to the extreme, as irate spectators rained plastic bottles on the pitch. Shockingly the defending champion of the AAG got a scorcher to the back of the Nigerian net to dime any hope of a Nigerian clean soccer sweep on the night. Esola Paul celebrated his 84 minute strike with vigour. Sadness and fury got the better of the aggrieved as they resumed the unscrupulous act of plastic bottles this time aimed at the centre referee

The game ended with visible anger and disappointment on the faces of the Dream Team, frustration on the part of the over 60,000 fans that thronged the (Nigerian theatre of Dreams). Once again! Cameroon has proven to be the better side. Maybe the dream of Nigeria will take special effort to be realised but the players felt otherwise “Too bad we lost, I am still in the lost, I do not think we deserve to lose this game” was all Grasshopper of Switzerland midfielder, Alfred Omoefe could utter..

Notable Quotes!

“Each time we playCameroon I often give it to them. Why? They have the right attitude towards such game. Anytime you see any Cameroon’s side, be it U-17 or senior side. If they are assembled, they are either from home or Europe,and it will be their best from both faces. In picking their technical team, they brought the coach that won the Olympic gold. Not until we emulate how to do things well, we will fail to do well. NFA picked a coach they could push around in Musa Abdullah and that wrapped up our doom…” Ade Ojeikere, Authoritative Nigerian sports Pundit

“The cameroonians were very aggressive because they were fit whereas the Nigerians are not. They have a good squad Nigeria</st1:place></st1:country-region>) with notable ones like Sunday Rotimi, Ibrahim Ndala, Uche Kalu, Emmanuel Okoduwa and Alfred Omoefe. The sky’s their limit…” Ademola Olajire, Vanguard Newspaper Nigeria.