In what look like a story too good to be true, Nigeria’s representative to this years CAF champions league, Julius Berger football club, threw away a two goal lead with just 15 minutes to the end of their encounter with ASFA Yennenga, the Burkina Faso representative.
Good start
The bridge boys who picked up the ticket to represent Nigeria at the money-spinning championship by virtue of the 2nd placing in the Globacom 2003 league season, took an early lead through Super Eagles fringe player, Ishola Shaibu while the lead was consolidated through a 35th minute strike by latest scoring sensation, Endurance Idahor.
Nearly done
The Coach Fatai Amao lead team not only defended the lead into the 2nd half, they actually were in full control with 15mins left of the match when a loss of concentration led to ASFA’s first goal while not even a penalty miss by the home team after Peter Ogbuje- who had come in to replace Ishola Shaibu handled the ball in the penalty box, was not enough to awaken the Nigerian team to the danger ahead as it soon became 2-2 with four minutes left of play.
Terrible blow
The nail was finally driven into the coffin a minute into injury time as poor anticipation from goalkeeper Chijioke Ejiogu made it 3-2 in favour of the hosts whose fans went wild with joy while the Nigerian fans at the stands went home disappointed.
Uphill task
The Adewale Bridge boys will have to lift their game beyond the not too impressive performance in Burkina faso to book a place in the next round.
Already the team coach, Fatai Amao is optimistic of a better performance in Abeokuta.
"We only need to mend our broken fences and approach the second leg with more caution than we did in Burkina faso" he told Nigeriasports.com
Reports by Adewole Opatola
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