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Super
Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi
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Nigeria became the first African nation
to book their place at next summer's World Cup finals following a 2-0 win over
Ethiopia in the second leg of their play-off in Calabar.
A Victor Moses penalty and a quickly-taken
Victor Obinna free-kick secured a 4-1 aggregate success to end Ethiopia's dream
of appearing at their first ever World Cup finals.
The Super Eagles had not been beaten in
a World Cup qualifier at the UJ Esuene Stadium since 1981 and a 2-1 win in
Addis Ababa last month ensured they were red-hot favourites to progress.
It took 20 minutes to extend their
advantage through Moses after Ethiopia were whistled for handball in the area.
The Liverpool midfielder slid his
penalty low to goalkeeper Sisay Bancha's left, although the Ethiopia skipper
did commit to his full-length dive the other way early.
Moses was booked for his shirtless
celebration, that also involved cartwheeling down the sidelines, but that
almost went unnoticed as the mood of the stadium started to take on a party
scene.
Ethiopia boss Sewnet Bishaw had said
before the match he was ``100 per cent confident'' that his side would overturn
their disadvantage, but it never looked likely after their early setback.
Nigeria were able to coast for the
majority of the contest, before finalising their World Cup place eight minutes
from the end through Obinna.
The substitute took a free-kick early,
with two other players hovering over it, although still Bancha should not have
been caught out as he was.
Obinna's 25-yarder was curled almost
straight at Bancha, but he failed to get a hand to the ball as it sailed over
his head.
Source: Espnfc.com
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