CHAN 2020: Home-Based Eagles Crash Out!
- Lose 3-4 on aggregate
Despite winning 2-0 against Togo at the Agege Stadium in Lagos on Saturday evening, Nigeria’s home-based Super Eagles have crashed out of the CHAN 2020 party slated for Cameroon
The determined Nigerian side put on a spirited effort to overturn the 1-4 first-leg deficit, but failed, thus losing out by 3-4 aggregate.
With about seven changes from the players who featured in the side that lost pitifully in Lome, the Eagles came out soaring and were soon rewarded with two goals, courtesy Sikiru Alimi’s brace in the 4th and 66th minutes.
However, the Togolese presented a seven-man defence formation that stoutly contained and kept at bay the attacking trio of Sikiru Alimi, Sunusi Ibrahim and Nyima Nwagua.
Regrettably, the two goals from the boots of Alimi were inadequate to see the Eagles through as the Togolese showed composure and held on till the last minutes through their well-organised defence and time-wasting tactics.
Speaking at the end of the match, Coach Imama Amapakabo said his team lost due to unavailability of some important players for the first leg encounter.
According to him, “We lost and that was painful for everybody. The two games were completely different from each other and the tactics were also different.
“The opposing team came with the tactics of defending through putting in more defenders while we want to have our goals.
“Explaining the changes made by coaching crew in the Eagles’ line-up, Amapakabo said; “The seven changes in the team for the second leg was due to the non-availability of the Rangers International players for the first leg.” – NAN
