Sikiru Alimi’s double fails to lift CHAN Eagles

Tunde Liadi

CHAN Eagles have fluffed a great chance to make it to a fourth straight edition of the African Nations Championship billed for Cameroon next year despite beating Sparrowhawks of Togo 2-0 at the Agege Stadium, Lagos.

The Nigerian representatives were walking a tight rope after they allowed Togo to pummel them 4-1 in Lome in the first leg but effort by Imama Amapakabor and his boys to rescue the situation met a brickwall after they could not find the all-important third goal to seal a ticket to Cameroon 2020.

Just like the first leg in Lome, the Eagles B side scored an early goal through Sikiru Alimi in the ninth minute but their sustained pressure was met with resolute defending from the Togolese who resorted to time-wasting tactics to whine down the clock.

Alimi and Nyima Nwagua were gulity of some gilt-edge chances which they missed in the first half and there was no further goals until the referee signaled the end of the first half.

At the restart of the second half, the Eagles became more desperate in search of the two goals that will land them the CHAN ticket but they were unable to bridge the Togolese defence.

The referee would later ruled out what could be adjudged a good goal by Olisa Ndah midway into the second half for a alleged foul on the Togolese goalkeeper.

The CHAN Eagles managed to score a second goal through Lobi Stars’ striker, Alimi again but it was difficult to find a third in spite of the referee’s  addition of 10 minutes injury time.

Nigeria will not be at the CHAN in Cameroon and it is the third time the home based Eagles will be missing out from the competition meant for players playing their trade in their domestic leagues.

Nigeria missed the first two editions in 2009 and 2011 respectively in Ivory Coast and Sudan but they made their debut in 2014 in South Africa when Stephen Keshi of blessed memory led them to the bronze medal.

They were eliminated in the first round in Rwanda two years later with the loquacious Sunday Oliseh at the saddle but they were silver medallist at the 2018 edition in Morocco.