African Giant
Nigeria secured their third African Nations cup triumph beating giantkiller
Burkina Faso in the final of the tournament by 1-0 margin at Soccer City
stadium, Johannesburg yesterday. Sunday MBA scored the decider in the 40th
minute of the game.
It’s the
seventh time the Super Eagles reached in the final of that continental tournament
previously which they had won 19 years ago in the captaincy of current coach
Stephen Keshi while it’s the maiden appearance for the Stallons in the final of
such kind of mega tournament. With this continental tournament victory Nigeria
booked their berth in the upcoming Confederaion cup 2013 will be played in
Brazil.
It was a win that was fully deserved as
Nigeria comfortably beat a tired-looking Burkina Faso, who struggled to make an
impact in their maiden final appearance.
In contrast, Nigeria's Mba produced a
moment of sheer brilliance to break the deadlock just before half-time.
When the ball ricocheted to the midfielder on the edge of the box, he
used his right foot to delicately flick the ball over Koffi and as the ball
dropped on the other side of the defender, Mba volleyed in superbly with his
left boot.
Burkina Faso would have its chances. A Wilfried Sanou shot was be
nicked just wide by Nigerian keeper Vincent Enyeama, keeping the Super
Eagles in the lead.
Emmanuel Emenike of Nigeria won the Golden
Boot as the tournament's top scorer, while Burkina Faso's Jonathan Pitroipa won
the Orange Man of the Competition.
Newly recruited Nigerian coach Stephen Keshi
established a new individual record by equaling the feat of late Egyptian
Mahmoud El Gohary by winning gold medals as a player and a coach in this
continental tournament, it is also the first time for 21 years that a black
African coach has won the cup - Ivory Coast's Yeo Martial was the last to do so
in 1992.
It was a win that was fully deserved as
Nigeria comfortably beat a tired-looking Burkina Faso, who struggled to make an
impact in their maiden final appearance.
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