AFCON 2021: Iheanacho’s Stunner Gifts Super Eagles Victory Over Pharaohs
- It’s Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
A first-half goal scored by Leicester City forward, Kelechi Iheanacho, was all that Nigeria’s Super Eagles needed to overwhelm the Pharaohs of Egypt inside the Roumde Adjia Stadium in Garoua on Tuesday evening.
The Coach Austin Eguavoen’s tutored side flagged off their campaign at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations with a 1-0 win over the North Africans with Iheanacho’s lone strike separating both teams at the end of 90 minutes.
The victory saw the 2019 bronze medallists extending their dominance over the Egyptians in the match that saw Coach Eguavoen opting for Iheanacho and Union Berlin’s Taiwo Awoniyi to lead Nigeria’s frontline following the absence of Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, Watford’s Emmanuel Dennis, and Al Shabab’s Odion Ighalo.
The three-time African champions did not take long to settle in the game with Moses Simon and Joe Aribo pulling the strings for the attack. The Super Eagles posed their first threat in the 26th minute after Aribo slotted a through ball to Simon but the Nantes winger could not hit the target with his right-footed strike.
Five minutes later, Nigeria fired the ball into the penalty area and Aribo nodded the ball to Iheanacho who made a sharp turn and found the back of the net with his shot. The Super Eagles had another chance to double their lead in the 42nd minute, but Iheanacho fired his effort straight at goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy.
Egypt ended the first 45 minutes without breaking the Super Eagles’ defence even with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, as they struggled to test Maduka Okoye.
The second half started on the same commanding note for the Eguavoen’s men as they won two corner-kicks within three minutes. Awoniyi came close to grabbing a second goal with his header off Ola Aina’s cross in the 47th minute but he was denied by the bar before El Shenawy wrapped the ball in his hands.
An average Salah on the night was checked by the defensive duo of William Troost-Ekong and Kenneth Omeruo with Aston Villa’s Mahmoud Trezeguet and Galatasaray’s Mostafa Mohamed replaced for more attacking options in the 58th minute.
Similarly, Nigeria introduced fresh legs in the 80th minute with Semi Ajayi and Kelechi Nwakali replacing Omeruo and Iheanacho respectively. It was Nwakali’s debut appearance for the Super Eagles, the same for Almeria’s Sadiq Umar replaced Awoniyi in the 72nd minute.
The result ended Egypt’s 16-game unbeaten run in the group stages of the Africa Cup of Nations, with their last group defeat dating back to 2004 (a 2-1 loss to Algeria). In total, Egypt registered just four shots to Nigeria’s 15, with only two of those shots on target.
Meanwhile, Nigeria climbed to the top of Group D table with three points and they will hope to build on the win when they face Sudan on Saturday while Egypt will take on Guinea-Bissau for their second match of the tournament. – With Goal.com reports
