Estádio Nacional de Brasilia, Brasília
France 2 [ (Paul Pogba 80 *), Josef ( Own Goal )] : Nigeria 0
Having dominated the most part of the Game the Flying Eagles Nigeria were led to Flying home by the French team extended to its limit.
Another time, another place, another day Nigeria so easily could come out victorious. But the goal of Paulo Pogba at 80 th minute off a corner causing only lapse of his brilliant day brought and another suicide goal in the dying minutes gave France the entry pass to Quarter Final yet another time.
Nigeria can go home with their heads high. They played two very lively games against Argentina in the group and France in the prequarter final.
Before the match it was widely anticipated that two unusual factors other than soccer skills could influence the game: Ramadan and the weather. The thermometer was forecasted to reach a top of 90 degrees and humid in Brasilia.
France did not play a game in the 1 p.m. slot (local time) in this world cup, and both teams have several Muslim players who were fasting for Ramadan. Some, like France’s Bacary Sagna, believe Islamic law has exemptions for these circumstances; others do not.
But Nigeria’s star forward Ahmed Musa has said he will not eat and will not even drink water until sundown. His coach, Stephen Keshi, pooh-poohs the issue, saying Musa has done this before and knows how to handle it.
France’s coach, Didier Deschamps, was fretting about over-confidence, after his charges breezed through the opening round. “This Nigeria team is very athletic and strong physically,” said. “They have a quartet of forwards who are very fast, with one very skillful player in Musa.”
Musa and his strike partner, Emmanuel Emenike, sparkled during Nigeria’s 3-2 loss to Argentina in the first round.
Musa scored both goals, and afterward, Argentina’s first-rate wingback Pablo Zabaleta said: “We are lucky to have Messi, Nigeria is lucky to have Musa.”
A key for France was coping with Nigeria’s counter-attacking. The French who were usually fullbacks were usually keen to get forward and join the attack were more careful on the day for apprehension of getting caught up field by a sudden change of possession. This took away bite of French attacks considerably.
Yohan Cabaye, suspended from the third game after getting two yellow cards, returned to his field marshall’s role in central midfield. Mathieu Valbuena, whose energy was missed in that third game also returned.
The Nigerian midfield featured two English Premier League players, John Obi Mikel (Chelsea) and Peter Odemwingie (Stoke City ), as well as an explosive 21-year-old, Ogenyi Onazi, of Rome’s Lazio. Doubts were around about the defensive discipline of Nigeria – how well to keep their composure to cope with tricky, quick players like Valbuena or Greizmann.
They’re more used to bigger, physical opponents like Karim Benzema or Olivier Giroud. On the positive side, though, they had a solid central defender in Efe Ambrose (who plays for Glasgow Celtic) and a good goalkeeper in Vincent Enyeama, who because he plays for Lille was quite familiar with many of the French players.
Match started with brisk pace. Quick moving strong Nigerians started outsmarting the French midfielders announcing their intensions loud and clear. They started with a positive note and threatened in the first fifteen minutes of the match monopolizing possession.
Nigeria found the net in the 18 Th minute. The voice roared in the Nigerian sections of the fans for a minute when Emenike defleted the ball smartly into the net. But the voice throttled as the goal was disallowed for what appeared a very marginal offside.
Nigerans thought they were in front but still was at arm’s length. Few minutes later Vincent Enyeama made a spectacular save. Poggba struck a venomous drive which was spinning dangerously but Eneyama was equal to the task.
In a reasonably open contest attacks and counter attacks made it a very exciting and enthralling encounter. Valbuena, Matuidi, Benzama and Pogba started finding their feet slowly after the initial Nigerian storms of attack bringing France more and more into the game after 30 th minute.
Matuidi failed to punish a lapse of Nigerian defence hesitating to strike the ball from a vintage position. Rest of the first half witnessed some halfhearted attacks from either side with no clear scoring chance being created.
Emenike off course let fly a long distance scorcher which bounced back from the fist of Lloris .Honors were even in the first half with Nigeria enjoying the territorial advantage marginally. The score sheet remained blank.
Nigeria did not seat back and attacked more often with Moses, Musa and Emenike. French defence had all sorts of problem. Truly speaking Nigeria looked more likely to score in the first half. The French midfield on the other hand just could not exploit the space on offer in the midfield.
The lightening pace at which the match played over the period in the heat must have taken some steam of the players. Eagles kept flying low almost daring safe landing in the French territory. Nigerian defence stood firm and compact during most of the first half in cutting out moves those Benzama, Mataudi and Pogba engineered.
The impact of the heat and humidity on the players were clearly visible in the second half. The pace and urgency was missing at the early stage of the second half as the teams were having an eye on the extra time that might come into play if the deadlock was not broken.Onazi got injured, stretchered out and was replaced in the 53 rd minute by Ruben Gabriel.
Emmenike continued to keep French defence busy with probing runs. Nigeria still monopolizes possession. Definitely Nigeria was looking livelier and playing with more purpose. Peter Odemwingie made a solo dash and struck another low drive which again rebounded off Lloris. Luckily for him no Nigerian leg was there to tap home. 145 goals had been scored at this point of the match, exactly equal to the total number of goals scored over the entire tournament in 2010.
Benzama almost scored the goal number four in the 69 Th minute, even the goal keeper was beaten and Victor Moses made the desperate goal line save. The introduction of Griezmaan infused some life to French attacks.
The exchanges were more even after 65 Th minute.Eneyema made another diving save in the 75 Th minute. A series of French attack followed with Nigerian cross piece came on the way to a Cabaye left foot pile driver.Eneyma again made a saved off Benzama. Minutes later Pogba headed home off a Valbuena corner in the 80 Th minute (1-0).
First international goal for Pogba. For once after such heroic performance Eneyama failed to hold the ball from the corner and off his deflection Pogba headed into empty net. When the match was dying France was gifted with another goal off a melee in the goal mouth from a French Corner.
Griezmann’s feeble flick touched the leg of Nigerian defender Yobo before entering the net 2-0.
France could come out unscratched. Nigeria made them fight all the way. The quality, depth and diversity of French team mattered. Well played Nigeria. They dominated the match all but the last 15 minutes when better team at that stage France scored and won the match. Nigerian goal keeper despite of his stand out performance made the only lapse and Pogba punished.
We can say poor luck Nigeria, well played France. The French defence absorbed several Nigerian attacks and when the time came the attacked , seized the opportunity and liked an experienced and matured team won.
France: Hugo Lloris, Mathieu Debuchy, Patrice Evra, Laurent Koscielny, Raphael Varane, Yohan Cabaye, Mathieu Valbuena, Karim Benzema, Blaise Matuidi, Paul Pogba, Olivier Giroud (Antoine Griezmann)
Nigeria: Vincent Enyeama, Efe Ambrose, Joseph Yobo, Juwon Oshaniwa, Kenneth Omeruo, Ogenyi Onazi ( Ruben Gabriel) , John Obi Mikel, Ahmed Musa, Peter Odemwingie, Victor Moses, Emmanuel Emenike.
BDST: 0905 HRS, JUL 01, 2014
