Zimbabwe’s Tawanda Chirewa has sabotaged the chances of Nigerians in their on-the-way victory shortly after an equalizer in the 90th minute, leaving the score at a 1-1 draw in their Group C World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.
Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen had earlier, in the 73rd minute, placed Nigeria ahead with a well-placed header influenced by Aina.
Expectations rose as the Super Eagles were heading for three points until Chirewa, who slipped past the sturdy defenders, slid the ball cleverly past goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali’s reach.
Played at the Godswill Obot Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, the Eagles dominated possession for most of the match and created several chances to score.
A switch was made in the 59th minute, with Nigeria’s Samuel Chukwueze replacing Tolu Arokodare. Arokodare’s performance on the field had a significant impact as he held up play before making a pass to Aina, whose accurate calculating skills led to a smooth pass to Victor Osimhen.
In the 83rd minute, Wilfred Ndidi would have scored a goal but missed after being played in by Moses Simon, skewing his shot wide. Osimhen later developed cramp towards the last minute and was substituted with Victor Boniface.
The guest and host teams played vigorously, igniting pressure with each passing minute. An equalizer almost came through for the Zimbabweans in the 76th minute when Walter Musona’s effort struck the underside of the crossbar after a mix-up between goalkeeper Nwabali and his defenders.
The Zimbabweans intensified their attacks, with a good opportunity coming through Chirewa at stoppage time after leveraging on some defensive lapses inadvertently orchestrated by the defenders.
The end of the Nigeria-Zimbabwe match left Nigeria in third place in Group C, as Lesotho’s equalizer against Rwanda meant Nigeria lost the chance to be ranked second. The nation’s next match will be a determining moment and an opportunity to re-strategize as they continue their quest for World Cup qualification.
As players departed the field, Victor Osimhen was seen visibly upset, neglecting his teammates who went to applaud the home fans and the supporters’ group.
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