Nigeria fell flat in front of goal once more as they played to their second goalless draw against Guinea in Group A of the 2017 WAFU Cup of Nations at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium on Saturday, September 16.
Nigeria started positively with their first chance on goal in the second minute when Olamilekan Adeleye Aniyikaye met a long throw-in from the left, but his ten-yard header was well-saved by the Guinea keeper.
Ten minutes later Abanum Ashadi left fly from the edge of the box, but his shot sailed just over the Guinean goal.
The National Elephants’ first attack saw Seydouba Camara break behind the defence in the 19th minute and with just the keeper to beat he pushed his effort inches wide from six-yards out.
Nigeria bossed the game after that and were close to opening the scoring in the 38th minute when Anthony Okpotu met a cross from the left, but his 12-yard header shaved the wrong side of the post.
On the stroke of half time Kingsley Eduwo broke behind the Guinea defence, but failed to beat the keeper despite having all the time in the world as the half ended 0-0.
A minute into the second half Kingsley Eduwo should have opened the scoring when he met a right wing cross, but he headed wide from two-yards out when it looked harder to miss than score.
The next decent chance in the half came in the 64th minute when Rabiu Ali attempted to chip the keeper from the halfway line, but his effort sailed just wide with the keeper in no man’s land.
In the 76th minute Mohamed N’Diaye wasted a glorious chance to give Guinea the lead when he fired over the crossbar under no pressure from only 14-yards out.
Both countries pushed numbers forward in the final ten minutes of the match, but both were poor in front of goal and had to settle for a share of the spoils as the encounter ended 0-0.
The result leaves Nigeria with two points in Group A while Guinea earned their first point.
Guinea (0) 0
Nigeria (0) 0
Teams
Guinea coach: Hamidou Camara
Guinea: 1. A Sylla, 2. A Camara, 4. N Camara, 5. Conde, 6. Moussa, 7. Sory Camara (13. Mouste 83’), 8. A Camara, 10. S Camara (18. Diallo 68’), 12. N’Diaye, 14. M Camara, 15. S Keita (9. Kassory Camara 60’).
Nigeria coach: Salisu Yusuf
Nigeria: 16. Ajiboye, 2. Okoro, 4. Aremu, 5. Ariwachukwu, 8. Ifeanyi, 9. Okpotu, 12. Aniyikaye, 13. James, 15. Mathias (11. Peter 66’), 17. Ashadi (10. Ali 52’), 18. Eduwo (14. Okechukwu 61’).
