By Ben Efe
Zimbabwe Warriors made good their threats to deny the Super Eagles victory in their group C World Cup qualifiers Tuesday at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
The Super Eagles needed to win to keep up the pressure on the Bafana Bafana of South Africa, but they got stuck with a 1-1 draw in the game they squandered several scoring chances coupled with a back four that went to sleep in the dying minutes. The Super Eagles laboured all through the first half, they didn’t resemble the team that dominated Rwanda last Friday.
But in the second half the match looked like it was finally in the bag for the Super Eagles after Victor Osimhen with a diving header steered the ball into the net latching on a cross floated by Ola Aina from inside the box after he was put through by Tolu Arokodare who came in for Samuel Chukwe. Zimbabwe goalkeeper George Chigova Arubi who had been busy all day beat the grass in frustration.
That goal made the Zimbabweans who had put every man behind the ball all evening to come out of their shell and showed that they can bite as well. In the 76-minute, Knowledge Musona thought he had it sealed up when he capitalised on a sloppy defending by the Super Eagles, his shot bounced off the cross bar to the relief of the Nigerian fans.
Wilfred Ndidi missed a chance to put the Super Eagles a step ahead with a badly place shot after he had been put through by Moses Simon in the 83rd minute. That miss came back haunt the Super Eagles as Zimbabwe equalised in the 90th minute. Tawanda Chirewa danced his way through as William Troost Ekong failed to track his movement, he tucked the ball underneath Stanley Nwabali who seem to be having a bad in the office.
South Africa beat Benin Republic’s Cheetahs 2-0 in Abidjan Cote d’Ivoire they are now run-away group leaders as Rwanda and Lesotho settled for a 1-1 draw in the other group C game.
