Nigeria this Tuesday evening, November 16, 2021, overcame a big scare from visiting Cape Verde to qualify for the crucial playoffs of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifying African series.

The Super Eagles entered the battle with the Sharks as Group C leaders with 12-points and needed only a draw to progress while the visitors, on 10 points, needed an outright win to dislodge the three-time African champions.

The sparse crowd at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, thought a massacre was in the offing when pointsman Victor Osimhen opened scores barely a minute into the game.

But that was not to be as the Cape Verdians equalised five minutes later.

The match thereafter became a ding-done affair, ending one goal apiece to send Nigeria through.