Swaziland welcome the Super Eagles of Nigeria in a crucial 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Sunday Oliseh’s fifth match as the team Coach.
Coach Sunday Oliseh invited Kelechi Iheanacho and Obafemi Martins for the first time and there is huge optimism among Nigerians that the two invitees will play.
Swaziland defeated Guinea 2-1 in an AFCON qualifier in June in a huge win for the country. Before that win Swaziland had not won on the road in 20 other attempts in the Nations Cup since 1986.
Before the Guinea game, they defeated Tanzania and Lesotho as well as held Madagascar in the COSAFA Cup.
Nigeria have lost to Congo (2 – 0) and won against Cameroon (3 – 0) in their last two matches.
The match starts at 6pm, Nigerian time.
FT: Swaziland 0 – 0 Nigeria. Swaziland survive Super Eagles barrage in the last fifteen minutes
90+ Yellow Card Shehu Abdullahi shown a card for a professional foul
90+ An opposition player is down injured
90+ HEADER!!! Ambrose’s header is just over the bar from a corner
90+ Five minutes of extra time given
87′ SHOT!!! Musa’s shot is just over
86′ Iheanacho’s shot is blocked for a corner. Corner taken but easily cleared
85′ Swaziland counter attack but a player is offside
84′ BLOCKED!!! Ighalo’sshotis blocked
81′ Ighalo’s pressure is not enough to force an error from the opposition player
79′ Swaziland have a freekick but the header is just wide
76′ Nigeria have looked open in defense after the influx of strikers
72′ SHOT!!!! Obafemi takes a shot and its blocked. With five attackers on the pitch, Nigeria are putting all the pressure on the opposition defense
69′ SUB: Obafemi Martins comes on for Mikel Obi
67′ SUB: Kelechi Iheanacho comes on for Rabiu Ibrahim…Iheanacho makes his debut while Rabiu Ibrahim was just brought in the second half
64′ BLOCKED!!! Ighalo and Musa do well to combine and feed Moses whose fancy footwork and shot cannot hit the back of the net
61′ SHOT!!! Ikeme saves well again, his legs come to the rescue to save a shot from five yards
60′ Mikel Obi is robbed in midfield and Oboabona come to the rescue
59′ Moses Simon almost creates a chance for Nigeria but the opposition defense does well to block his cross
56′ WOODWORK!!! Nigeria’s freekcik played by Moses Simon just hits the woodwork and the defense clears…Swaziland survive
56′ Ighalo is fouled just in front of the box…chance to take the lead…the injured Swaziland player Felix is replaced by Sandile
55′ Shehu Abdullahi is taken out by an attacking player who makes a silly foul
53′ A Swaziland player is down injured and a substitute could come on to replace him
50′ Swaziland attack again and Onazi is forced to foul an attacking midfielder some 25 yards from goal. Freekick is over hit. Nigeria survive again
49′ SHOT!!! Nigeria survive another scare again as Onazi is dribbled just in front of the box. The opposition takes a shot but it just misses the mark…Nigeria survive
48′ PASS IS OVER HIT!!! Rabiu Ibrahim’s through ball to Musa is just too far and Nigeria miss the chance for an attacking move
47′ Swaziland try a good attacking move which results in a shot cum cross that Ikeme sees go out of play
47′ Efe Ambrose is fouled
46′ SHOT!!! Ighalo’s pressure forces the opposition defense into a mistake and he take a shot from a cute angle…just over
46′ Second half begins…..Rabiu Ibrahim replaces Igbonu who was anonymous in the first half
45+ HT: Swaziland 0 – 0 Nigeria. Nigeria have had more of the possession but the opposition has looked more threatening so far
45′ IS THAT A PENALTY??? Ighalo shows nice footwork to get past one defender in the box and another slides in, Ighalo falls but the referee does not see anything in it
44′ YELLOW CARD!!! Shehu Abdulllahi is booked for kicking out at an opposition player
43′ Nigeria’s defense has lost the ball many more times than any other part of the team
42′ Efe Ambrose over complicates things as a simple pass this over hit for Echiejile
41′ Mikel is penalised for a foul around the penalty area
39′ Nigeria have had more of the possession but the opposition has looked more threatening so far
38′ Ighalo is penalized for a foul on a defender as he chases a long ball from the defense
37′ Onazi fouls an opposition just in front of the box…the freekick is just over
35′ OPPOSITION SHOT!!! Nigeria do not clear the lines well and an opposition player is able to volley towards goal though his shot is just off target…Nigeria survive
32′ WHAT A CHANCE!!! Ogboabona’s misplaced pass founds it way to an opposition player who feeds his team mates whose first touch in turn lets him down….Echiejile clears
30′ Swaziland chance!!! the opposition play a corner but a defenders header is just over
28′ FREEKICK IS SAVED!!! Onazi’s freekick is well saved and the rebound falls toMoses Simon and the goalie saves again. The ball fall’s to Ighalo who should score but doesn’t connect well. Mikel misses the chance to direct into the net
27′ The goalie is back up now and Nigeria prepare to take a freekick
25′ CHANCE!!!! Nigeria counter and Musa is found on the left, his cross to Simon on the near post is cleared for a corner. The corner is played but the ball is cleared and the goalie is injured
23′ IKEME MAKES A HUGE SAVE AGAIN!!! The opposition captain takes a good shot front outside the box but Ikeme’s positioning does not let him down
21′ FREEKICK!!! Onazi plays a freekick into the box, Ighalo flicks on but the opposition clear. Nigeria still with possession but its not been used to create a clear cut chance
19′ WASTED CHANCE!!! Mikel does well to feed Abdullahi on the right, his dragged cross couldn’t meet a player, Swaziland attack and Onazi is forced to make a foul
17′ IKEME SAVES!!! Mikel loses the ball in midfield, opposition advance and take the ball to the right. The cross is suberly hit almost gets to a player in the box but Ikeme saves well
16′ SHOT!!! Musa picks up a stray ball on the left and advances forward, he lets one fly but its way way over
15′ CHANCE!!! Ighalo does well to find space for himself in the box after dribbling two defenders but the opposition clears for a corner. Corner is cleared
14′ Moses Simon is fouled and Nigeria’s freekick is cleared
12′ Nigeria’s attack is stopped when Ighalo fouls a defender. The game has been well balanced but Nigeria has looked more confident
9′ Swaziland try to attack but the Super Eagles defense does well to stop it. Nigeria counter but the opposition force a thrown in as Musa tries to wiggle his way into the box from the right
7′ Swaziland attack and the striker takes a shot from over 30 yards out which flies just over the bar
6′ The opposition goalie is forced to play the ball for a throw in following pressure from Ighalo
5′ Fair play and the ball is played to the Swaziland area
3′ The two players are still down and receiving treatment
1′ A Swaziland player is down injured after contested an aerial ball with Moses Simon
1′ Swaziland gets us kicked off
