
Nigeria Sunday did enough to qualify for their second CHAN after they held hosts Burkina Faso to a 0-0 draw to advance 2-0 on aggregate.
The first leg in Port Harcourt a week ago ended 2-0 in favour of the home-based Eagles.
Hosts Burkina Faso dominated the return leg game, but just could not translate this dominance into goals as the Eagles struggled to find their bearing and did not create chances.
And so the boast of Burkina Faso coach Idrissa Traore that his team will cancel out Nigeria’s two goals within 30 minutes of the second leg was therefore just what it was – a boast.
The Eagles starting strike force led by Sunshine Stars striker Tunde Adeniji, which also had Ezekiel Bassey and Osas Okoro, was again ineffective as was the case in the first leg in Nigeria.
Gbolahan Salami and Chisom Chikatara were introduced in the second half in an effort to pep up the Nigeria attack.
The highlight of the match was recorded in the 21st minute, when the home team Burkina Faso failed to go ahead from the penalty spot after Austin Oboroakpo handled the ball inside his own 18-yard box.
Abia Warriors defender Oboroakpo was booked for the hand ball.
Oboroakpo, who has been compared to ‘Gentle Giant’ Uche Okechukwu, was outstanding in the heart of the Eagles defence as he kept out everything Les Etalons threw at them.
It also showed where the pressure was.
Nigeria starting XI vs Burkina Faso
Ikechukwu Ezenwa – Chima Akas, Orji Kalu, Austin Oboroakpo, Jamiu Alimi (Stephen Eze 46) – Paul Onobi, Ifeanyi Matthew, Bature Yaro – Ezekiel Bassey, Tunde Adeniji (Chisom Chikatara 71), Osas Okoro (Gbolahan Salami 57)
•Sourced from mtnfootball.com. Photo shows striker Gbolahan Salami celebrating Nigeria’s second goal against Burkina Faso in Port Harcourt a week ago.













.webp&w=256&q=75)













NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s leading online newspaper. Published by Africa’s international award-winning journalist, Mr. Isaac Umunna, NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s first truly professional online daily newspaper. It is published from Lagos, Nigeria’s economic and media hub, and has a provision for occasional special print editions. Thanks to our vast network of sources and dedicated team of professional journalists and contributors spread across Nigeria and overseas, NEWS EXPRESS has become synonymous with newsbreaks and exclusive stories from around the world.