ACTUALITE |
16.05.2002
Republic of Ireland 1 Nigeria 2
Goals from Julius Aghahowa and Efe Sodje wrecked the Republic of Ireland`s two-year unbeaten record at Lansdowne Road on Thursday night and further lifted spirits in Festus Onigbinde`s Nigeria camp ahead of the World Cup.
Roy Keane led out the Irish in their final World Cup warm-up match before another full house in Dublin and all seemed likely to go to plan in the early stages as the home side`s energetic game unsettled Nigeria.
The Republic almost took the lead inside a minute when Jason McAteer laid back a far-post cross from Damien Duff to Robbie Keane, but Joseph Yobo and Isaac Okoronkwo got in quickly to clear the danger.
Keane then teed up Matt Holland for an 18-yarder which just cleared the bar, before Nigeria began showing off the expansive game which is sure to trouble World Cup first-phase opponents Argentina, Sweden and England this summer.
A downward header from Crewe star Sodje set up Pius Ikedia, but the Ajax midfielder`s 20-yard shot sailed over.
The Super Eagles were ahead moments later, though, as Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Jay-Jay Okocha found Aghahowa with a clipped through-ball and the Ukrainian-based forward drilled beyond Shay Given.
Mick McCarthy`s stunned side then forced Ike Shorumnu into two fingertip saves in the space of a few minutes - from Robbie Keane`s header and Steve Staunton free-kick out on the right.
Then Holland sized up another long-range effort, only for Shorumnu to claw the ball away low to his left.
McCarthy made a change at half-time, bringing on Steven Reid who was only called into the squad on Wednesday after Mark Kennedy withdrew from the 23-man party with a groin problem.
But the Millwall midfielder barely had time to get his bearings when Nigeria made it 2-0 after Sodje was allowed a free header from five yards at an Ikedia corner.
Roy Keane was then denied at point-blank range by the inspired Shorumnu, before McCarthy made a triple substitution with David Connolly, Gary Kelly and Clinton Morrison replacing Duff, Kevin Kilbane and Robbie Keane.
The changes got Ireland moving and Reid hauled them back into the match in the 69th minute with his second goal in five appearances for his country.
Oruma could only steer the ball into the path of Morrison, who backheeled to Reid for the youngster to rattle a shot into the top-left corner from 12 yards.
Nigeria sat back to defend their 2-1 lead, but were indebted to their goalkeeper on several more occasions before the end.
Shorumnu kept out Connolly`s drive on 87 minutes, then denied the same player in injury-time to earn his side a morale-boosting victory.
Rep of Ireland: Given, Finnan, Harte, Cunningham, Staunton, Roy Keane (Kinsella 64), McAteer (Reid 46), Holland, Duff (Connolly 61), Robbie Keane (Morrison 61), Kilbane (Gary Kelly 61)
Nigeria: Shorunmu, Sodje, Yobo, West, Okoronkwo, Okocha (Oruma 66), Ikedia, Opabunmi, Kanu, Aghahowa, Ogbeche
Referee: A Costa (Portugal)
Attendance: 42,652
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Hits: 1 | Source:One Football | |
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