Liberia - Nigeria
0:1
Before:
Only one point seperated
the two teams during the World Cup qualifiers, still Nigeria go into this
match as favorites. Liberia conceded two late goals in their first two
matches and this costed them 4 valuable points. Both came on desperate
longe range attempts. With 3 goals conceded the Liberian defence seems
no match for the Nigerian attacking potential but the Nigerian defence
itself has not been invincible and Liberian attackers have looked sharp,
being the top scoring line of the tournament so far.
odds:
Nigeria are 52% percent
favorites to win (odds: 8/11 frac. 1.7 dec.), Liberia are rated 20% (7/2
frac. 4.5 dec.), a draw 28% (11/5 frac. 3.2 dec.).
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Mali - Algeria 2:0
Before:
Both teams have pleased
by their constructive attacking football. Mali have achieved a certain
midfield dominance and kept the ball well away from their goal. But they
have not created many chances. Algeria have had more of that but deficits
in converting including some bad luck. Confronted qith quick sharp attacks
both defences have had problems.
odds:
Mali are rated slight favorites
at 39% percent favorites to win (odds: 13/10 frac. 2.3 dec.), Algeria are
rated 32% (9/5 frac. 2.8 dec.), a draw 29% (21/10 frac. 3.1 dec.).
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1st half:
-Nigeria in green, Liberia
in white socks, red shorts, and blue jerseys and without the suspended
Roberts and injured Debbah.
-slow beginning, first Nigerian
opportunity after 8 minutes
-('10) Lawal from 20 meters
but the Nigerian keeper dives to save the ball
-Nigeria dominating midfield,
Liberia are drawn back, crowd the defence and wait for counter opportunities.
But it seems that Nigeria will not have problems to create chances
-Nigeria try with several
long range shots but so far wide or no problem for Crayton
-('31) Liberia: Weah with
an opportunity, a shot across the bar from 13 meters after a corner
-('39) Liberia sleep in
defence and leave Aghahowa alone, a Liberian defender stops him, but only
by handling the ball - penalty
-('42) Finidi George
shoots into the right corner but Crayton saves as the ball is not very
sharp and half high and so reachable for him
halftime 0:0
Nigeria have not been convincing
so far against a modest Liberian side. They control the game but are only
with one goal distance to desaster.
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1st half:
-Mali in white, Algeria
in green
-Mali starts with huge pressure
and several good chances
-('17) spectacular strike
by #9 Bagayoko, he stops the ball with his back to the goal twists around
the defender and fires the ball into the triangle from 14 meters half right
- 1:0
-('27) a fast counter
attack, Bagayoko sets up #8 Bassala Touré who is alone against the
keeper and puts the ball past him - 2:0
-('29) #10 S. Coulibaly
hits the goalpost with a deflected shot
-('34) S.Coulibaly hits
the goalpost with a spectacular 20 meter strike.
-Dramatic incident (only
reported, unconfirmed) : Tasfaout has been hit by an opponents arm and
transported by ambulance to the hospital
halftime 2:0
spectacular 1st half by
the hosts |
2nd half:
-('56) an error of concentration
in the Nigerian defence and a golden opportrunity for Liberia. Alow cross
into the middle, Weah puts his foot in but from 5 meters the ball goes
wide
-('58) Liberia: Frank Seator
breaks through, is inside the penalty area but his shot is inaccurate and
wide
-have Nigeria understood
the double warning?
-('61) Kanu sets up Finidi
George who attempts a precise shot from 20 meters only to miss the goal
by a meter
-('63) Okocha almost surprises
the keeper from 30 meters:
-('64) the ensuing corner:
a defender and the keeper interfere with each other and the ball bounces
on onto the head of Aghahowa who scores easily -0:1
-('66) Kanu dribbles and
fires from 16 meters, but Crayton with a good save
-Liberia are too harmless
to play anything else than from a counter position. they seem unable to
compensate for the missing key players
-('76) Liberian keeper Crayton
saves two wild long range shots by Okocha?(one freekick) without
problem
-('83) Liberia: Prince Daye
with an attempt from 20 meters but wide and not very dangerous
-(86) long ball on Babangida,,
Crayton is out of the goal but does not get the ball, Babangida has already
passed him but a defender can catch up with him and clear
-('88) D.Sebwe tries to
elbow Aghahowa but neither hits him nor sees a card or any warning.
final score 0:1
Nigeria are qualified for
the quarter finals
match data as published
by CAF Online:
Referee: Falla Ndoye (Senegal)
Ass. Referees: P. Domingo
(MOZ), Pedro Simao (ANG)
Attendance: 9,000
Scorer: Julius Aghahowa
63
Teams:
Liberia: 1-Louis Crayton,
20-Jimmy Dixon, 5-Dionysius Sebwe, 17-George Gebro (2-Fallah Johnson 82),
21-Thomas Kojo, 6-Kelvin Sebwe, 12-Oliver Makor, 18-Josephus Yenay, 14-George
Weah, 7-Frank Seator (11-Marr Sarr 72), 15-Prince Daye
Nigeria: 1-Ike Shorunmo,
2-Joseph Yobo, 6-Taribo West, 5-Isaac Okoronkwo, 15-Sunday Oliseh, 14-Ifeanyi
Udeze, 10-Austin Okocha, 7-Finidi George (13-Tijani Babangida 66), 11-Garba
Lawal, 17-Julius Aghahowa (8-Yakubu Alyegbeni 92+), 4-Nkwanko Kanu
Cautions: None |
2nd half:
-the match more balanced
in the second half with some goalscenes on bothe sides
final score 2:0
Mali are qualified for the
quarter finals
Nigeria |
3 |
2-0 |
7 |
Mali |
3 |
3-1 |
5 |
Liberia |
3 |
3-4 |
2 |
Algeria |
3 |
2-5 |
1 |
match data as published
by CAF Online:
Referee: Lim Kee Chong
(MRI)
Ass. Referees: B. Mudzamiri
(ZIM), Osman Hamid (SUD) Scorers: Mamadou Bagayoko 18, Bassala Toure 24
Attendance: 50,000
Teams:
Mali: 1-Mahamadou Sidibe,
2-Daouda Diakite (14-Vincent Doukantie 46), 5-Fousseini Diawara, 15-Boubacar
Diarra, 19-Adama Diakite, 11-Djbril Sidibe, 12-Seydou Keita, 8-Bassala
Toure, 10-Soumaila Coulibaly, 6-Mahamadou Diarra, 9-Mamadou Bagayoko.
Algeria: 1-Lounes Gaouaoui,
3-Moulay Haddou, 13-Brahim Zafour, 20-Mahieddine Meftah, 21-Mohamed Bradja,
6-Yazid Mansouri, 7-Omar Belbey, 15-Nassim Akrour, 16-Lounis Bendahmane
(8-Billel Dziri 40), 10-Abdelhafid Tasfaout (14-Nassim Bounekdja 44), 11-Kamel
Kherkhache (17-Slimane Raho 40).
Cautions:
Mali: 10- Coulibaly (70)
Algeria: 3- Haddou (6),
13- Zafour (26), 6- Yazid (47), 7- Belbey (67) |