SUPER Eagles wasted a good opportunity to be in reckoning for the next round of 16 at the ongoing World Cup in South Africa on Thursday, when the team threw away its one goal lead against Greece in their second match at the Free State Stadium in Mangaung/Bloemfontein.
Nigeria led through Kalu Uche's free-kick and were in complete control when Kaita was sent off in the 33rd minute for kicking out at Vasilios Torosidis after the ball had gone out of play.His inexplicable behaviour allowed Greece back into the game and they levelled a minute before half-time when Dimitris Salpingidis' shot from the edge of the area hit Lukman Haruna and looped beyond the goalkeeper and into the net.Greece secured the points in the 71st minute when the otherwise excellent Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama spilled Alexandros Tziolis' shot and Torosidis turned home the loose ball.
Despite their victory, Greece may still have to avoid defeat against Argentina in their final Group B match to progress, while Nigeria know that only a victory against South Korea will keep alive their slim hopes of qualification.After Argentina's earlier win over South Korea both teams knew how costly a defeat here would be, but they adopted very different attitudes in the early minutes.
Nigeria started strongly and deservedly opened the scoring in the 16th minute when Uche floated a free-kick into the area, where Peter Odemwingie failed to make contact with it.But his attempted header was enough to deceive Greece goalkeeper Alexandros Tzorvas, who appeared to dive out of the way as he watched the ball drop into the net at the far post.
Greece offered little attacking threat in the opening stages, but were handed an unexpected advantage when Kaita was sent off - and they responded by pushing forward.Enyeama was soon called into action to make a brave save at the feet of Salpingidis, before Haruna hacked a Georgios Samaras shot off the line.Greece finally levelled the scores in the 44th minute through Salpingidis, but Nigeria were better organised defensively after half-time and even looked to push forward and clinch a win.
In one 30-second phase of play Theofanis Gekas was denied by Enyeama's fine sprawling save, before Nigeria broke upfield and Yakubu raced through on goal, only to see his shot blocked by Tzorvas.The rebound fell to Nigerian substitute Chinedu Obasi but, with the goal gaping, he somehow managed to miss the target.Enyeama made another superb save to deny Samaras, before his error presented Greece with the decisive goal and leave the Africans on the brink of elimination after a second defeat in the competition.
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CREDIT
Source:The Nation(Vintage Press Limited, Nigeria)
**Nigeria keeper Enyeama voted Man of Match
Picture: Nigeria's goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama (right) crying after the Super Eagles lost 1-2 to Greece during the Group B first round 2010 World Cup football match in South Africa
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