Nigeria clinch third place

Facing the Eagles of Mali in a repeat of the 2002 edition third place tie, Christian Chukwu made three changes to his side that lost to Tunisia in the semi final.

Ikpe Ekong replaced Seyi Olofinjana and Joseph Enakhire came in for Isaac Okoronkwo-both of whom were missing due to suspension.

Mali is still ruing from their 4-0 scandalous semi final loss to the Atlas lions of Morocco and Coach Henri Stambouli vowed to make up for the Morocco loss .

Slow start
Mali started the game in a slow pace thus forcing a Nigerian charge from Utaka and Osaze.

The Eagles of Mali  made a bold attack on the Nigerian defence in the 7th minute.Brilliantly  Diarra delivers a good cross which Adama Coulibaly fails to guide on target when eight yards from goal.

Nigeria went ahead in the 17th minute as Bolton and Nigeria skipper, Jay-Jay Okocha scores his fourth goal of the tournament as he strikes a 30-yard free-kick at goal which deflects off a Mali defender and past Sidibe in the Malian goal.

Okocha’s strike puts him in the league of top scorers, alongside Cameroon's Patrick Mboma and Mali Frederic Kanoute, with all on four goals.

Mali’s strong effort to get an equaliser met a brick wall in the Nigerian defence, marshalled by Everton star, Yobo Joseph.

Nigeria nearly doubled the lead in the 41st minute. A neat trick from Okocha gives him space down the right flank and the Nigeria captain whips in a weighted cross into the 6-yard box which misses the incoming Odemwingie by inches.

Osaze head Nigeria into lead
With the second half just two minutes, The Super Eagles got a finely-worked goal as Jay-Jay Okocha whips a delightful ball into the Mali area which Osaze Odemwingie flicks on target goal with his head to beat Sidibe low to his left from six yards out.

The goal is Odemwingie's third of the tournament.

With two goals behind Mali took the game to the Nigerians, as Dramane Traore and Janvier Abouta mounted pressure on the Eagles defence.

Ferocious strike
Mali pressure paid off in the 68th minute. Janvier Abouta scores one of the goals of the tournament as he fires home a stunning left-footed volley across Enyeama from 15 yards out following a long pass to the left-side of the Nigerian penalty area from the centre-circle.

Abouta got inspired by the goal and should have levelled the game two minutes later but somehow, his crack at goal but strike near the bye-line went wide.

Nigeria managed to cage the Malians and clinched the Bronze medal of the 24th Africa cup of nations.
According to Nigeria’s captain Austin Okocha, the victory is important after the sad loss to the hosts.

“We had the plans of winning the gold medal but I am happy we won because it is better to get a bronze than winning nothing”

“Although it was difficult to get the motivation needed in the game after the Tunisia loss but we did all we could”

“I am surprised there are so many people, I thought people won’t come for the game, so after we went up with two goals I decided to play safe and entertain the crowd” explained scorer of Nigeria’s second goal and man of the match, Okocha.

How they played:

Nigeria: 1-Vincent Enyeama; 2-Joseph Yobo, 6-Joseph Enakahire, 15-George Abbey, 16-Ifeanyi Udeze; 19-Ikpe Ekong, 21-Ifeanyi Ekueme, 10-Jay-Jay Okocha (captain), 13-Pius Ikedia, 7-John Utaka; 20-Osaze Odemwingie

Mali: 1-Mahamadou Sidibe; 2-Souleymane Diamoutene, 3-Fousseiny Diawara, 4-Adama Coulibaly, 17-Sammy Traore; 6-Mahamadou Diarra (captain), 11-Djibril Sidibe, 18-Mohamed Lamine Sissoko; 9-Janvier Abouta, 19-Frederic Kanoute, 20-Dramane Traore

Referee: Modou Sowe (The Gambia)