Fulham midfielder, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, scored a first-half goal to end the Super Eagles’ 3-game unbeaten dominance against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.
On a night the Nigerians started on an attacking note which saw the Lions adopt a laid-back, containment, defensive positioning, it was the Lions that broke the deadlock on the 37th minute with a well-placed shot from outside the box by Anguissa; a strike that would eventually separate the two sides on the night.
Genk prolific striker, Paul Onuachu, came so close on the 3rd minute but Cameroonian Omossola Simon parried his header. His attempt after some more minutes went off the target.
Rohr fielded a strong first team led by Troost-Ekong. The match also saw Valentine Ozornwafor, Abraham Marcus and Terem Moffi having their debuts for the Super Eagles.
More players, including team captain, Ahmed Musa, came off the bench in search of an equalizer for the Eagles and, most importantly, as Rohr continues his endless search for a constant starting line-up.
The defeat was the first the time the Lions are having an upper hand against the Eagles under Rohr’s superintendence.
The Eagles discontinued Cameroon’s FIFA 2018 World Cup qualification quest winning 4-0 in Nigeria and rounding off the humiliation in Yaounde with a 1-1 draw.
At the 2019 AFCON held in Egypt, the Eagles put a stop to the Lions’ ambitions of lifting the cup for the fourth time with a 3-2 knock-out of the Cameroonians in the Round of 16.
The second leg of tonight’s encounter comes up on Tuesday next week same venue. The age-long football rivalry between both teams continues as Nigeria seeks to redeem her dented image.
Azuka Edokobi is a Writer , a Farmer, a Supply Chain Expert and an Entrepreneur
