Beijing 2008 - Nigeria weeps Japan 2-1 in Soccer
China - Nigeria U-23 Olympic soccer team are on the verge of qualification for the next round of the Beijing 2008 Olympic soccer tournament. Two goals from Victor Obinna Nsofor and Victor Anichebe, were enough to get Nigeria on the path of qualification after a goalless draw with Holland in the first match of the preliminaries.
Nsofor scored one goal and set up another for Anichebe as Nigeria beat Japan 2-1 at the Beijing Olympics. The win bolsters Nigeria’s chances of advancing to the quarter-finals.
Japan had a great opportunity in the 9th minute of the encounter, Nigeria’s golkeeper, Vanzekin, had to stretch to turn it away from two arriving defenders.
Italy-based Nsofor found the net in the 58th minute and he then set up Everton striker Victor Anichebe to score on a counterattack.
Striker Okoronkwo broke down the right had side and found Isaac Promise, who had a slight touch before releasing the ball to Osaze and the Lokomotive man in turn just laid it for Nsofor. The Chievo Verona man curls it one time past the sprawling Japan keeper. Classic team goal. Nsofor celebrated with some somersaults.
Another scoring chance came in the 71st minute for Nigeria, when Okoronkwo worked the ball down the right and played a neat ball to Promise who found Nsofor, and then came a spectacular overhead kick that was miscued.
Nigeria’s second goal came in the 75th minute, when the Japanese attack broke down to pressure and Nigeria raced off down the left hand side, hitman Nsofor crossed the ball and Anichebe controled with an exquisite touch before blasting it past the Japanese goalkeeper. That was amuch deserved relief for Coach Samson Siasia and about 140 million Nigerians.
A poor clearance for Nigeria’s goalkeeper Ambruse Vanzekin lead to substitute Yohei Toyoda scoring for Japan in the 79th minute.
Japan created several chances in the 10 final minutes of the game, but heavy rain from a thunderstorm did not help their cause.
Obinna finished a chance that came from the right wing, when Solomon Okoronkwo broke free and crossed to Isaac Promise.
He took a touch and was about to shoot on the turn, but Obinna Nsofor raced in from his left midfield spot to strike a right-footed kick from the top of the area.
Obinna then burst down the left flank and sent a cross to the other side of the penalty area, where Anichebe brought the ball down with one touch and struck a shot between goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa and the near post.
Toyoda revived Japan’s hopes when he beat a close offside call, took a pass from Hiroyuki Taniguchi and hit the ball past goalkeeper Ambruse Vanzekin.
The match featured an oddity when Olubayo Adefemi was made to leave the game in the 49th minute because he started the second half with the same shirt number (12) as teammate Ebenezer Ajilore.
He returned three minutes later with his correct jersey and number (13).
Nigeria’s final group game is against the USA on 13 August, but the Africans will be without defenders Apam Onyekachi and Adefemi Olubayo, who are suspended for the next game.
In the other game in the group Holland scored in injury time to snatch a 2-2 draw with the USA.
The results mean that USA top the group on goal difference ahead of Nigeria, both sides have four points.
Holland are third with two points, while Japan were left without a single point and virtually no chance of advancing.
Source: BBC Sports
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