Nigeria’s Super Eagles have bowed out of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil in style, after losing to France at the Round-Of-16 stage. The Eagles started off on a rather high and promising note, dominating the game, and making some serious incursions into the French half for a greater part of the first half.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have bowed out of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil in style, after losing to France at the Round-Of-16 stage. The Eagles started off on a rather high and promising note, dominating the game, and making some serious incursions into the French half for a greater part of the first half.
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The team, which had been infused with the presence of Chelsea striker Victor Moses, announced their presence with a goal in the 18th minute, which was ruled ‘offside’ by American Referee Mark Geiger.
They however kept up the pressure on the French, but failed to convert beautiful football into the much needed goals.
In the second half however, Blaise Matuidi, came in hard on midfield dynamo Onazi, effectively ruling him out of the game. The game then switched, with the French dominating midfield, and thus, the whole game.
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Goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama was called to duty several times, making some world-class saves for the Super Eagles, but in the end had to bow to perhaps a more tactically experienced French side. Paul Pogba, who had earlier had his shot on goal saved by Enyeama, this time found the net in the 79th minute from a set piece, followed by an own goal, from Joseph Yobo, was playing his 100th cap for the Super Eagles.
Despite their exit though, the general feeling was not one of total disappointment. A lot of social media comments posted via the Sahara Reporters links, as well as comments on the call-in segment of SaharaTV’s live streaming of the game, indicated that most Nigerians are proud of the Eagles’ performance in the game against France, a far cry from the reactions after the opening game with Iran.
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