23rd March, 2013
Nigeria, African champions had planned a big mauling of Kenya’s national team, the Harambee stars in the World Cup qualifying match in Calabar today. But at the end, it was the Nigerians that struggled to clinch a point.
Kenya, under coach Adel Amrouche were almost returning to Nairobi with the three points in the bag, when Nigeria’s Italy based winger, substitute Nnamdi Oduamadi netted in the equaliser.
Amrouche, who was handling Kenya’s international match for the first time had admitted he only boasts of two stars against Nigeria’s array of big names for Saturday’s World Cup qualifier in Calabar, Cross River State.
Amrouche said he is therefore not building the Harambee Stars for the Nigeria game but the future.
“We are not here to shock Nigeria, but to play football. Nigeria have big names while my team have just two playing in top teams, Victor Wanyama (Celtic) and Dennis Oliech (Ajaccio), the rest play in second division clubs,” said the Algerian handler.
But the Kenyans shocked Nigeria with a 36th minute goal by midfielder, 21 year old Francis Kahata Nyambura. The first half goal almost decided the match until the AS Varese Star Oduamadi, who was returning to national duty after almost two years of absence, and who replaced AFCON hero, Sunday Mba, netted the equaliser for a very vital point, in the extra minutes of the game.
With the victory Nigeria still top the group with five points.
Unfancied Malawi now shares the group lead also with five points, after beating Namibia 1-0 in Windhoek.
Kenya is still rooted to the bottom with two points along with Namibia.
Mr Ali Rehan, Kenyan team manager, blamed the referee for assisting the Eagles get an equaliser.
“The referee from Botswana did not do us well. He added extra time to enable Nigeria equalise. We played well and likewise Nigeria, they played like African champions and kept the pressure until they equalised. We are not happy with the treatment given to us since we arrived in Nigeria. We hope to turn the table in Nairobi in June,’’ he said.
Sylvanus Okpala, Super Eagles assistant coach, admitted that the team did not play well in the first half.
“We made mistakes in the first half. But the game changed in the second half. Our boys will play less under pressure in the return match and we will pay them back,’’ he said.