Nigeria lose WAFU Cup to Togo in a 3-2 thriller at MKO Stadium in Abeokuta

Posted by admin Headlines, Soccer, Sports Saturday, May 14th, 2011

The much anticipated WAFU Cup finals between Nigeria and Togo played at the standing-room only MKO Stadium in Abeokuta has ended in favor of the visitors who dethroned host Super Eagles to lift the regional championship by a 3-2 margin with outgoing Ogun Gov. Gbenga Daniel and other dignitaries in attendance cheering for the home team. Both sides reduced to ten men in the second half and Nigeria being the beneficiary of a penalty kick to settle the hostilities at 2-2 could not use the momentum to change the tide, instead allowing the Stephen keshi led Hawks of Togo to score the decisive 3rd goal in what appeared to be a ‘ball watching moment’ for the helpless and beaten Eagles defenders that damned the fate of the host and defending champions. Nigeria keeper, Sunday Rotimi, appeared to have compounded the woes of the Eagles with a needless howler when he allowed a harmless ball to get through his hands into the net for the Hawks’ second goal. New coach Samson Siasia suffering his first defeat as head coach would have little time to return the Super Eagles to it winning ways in light of the upcoming super friendly with Argentina on June 1 and the all important African Nations Cup qualifier against Ethiopia in Addis Ababa on June 4.