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Alexandria
Nigeria became the first qualifiers for the second round of the Africa Cup of Nations when they beat Guinea 1-0 in Alexandria on Wednesday with Kenneth Omeruo scoring the only goal.
Centre-back Omeruo headed a corner into the net on 73 minutes to earn the Super Eagles a second straight Group B victory after beating Burundi by the same score four days ago.
Nigeria have a maximum six points, Madagascar and Guinea one each and Burundi are pointless in the group. The Burundians and Malagasies meet on Thursday.
Guinea star Naby Keita started his first match since being injured playing for Liverpool at Barcelona in a Champions League semi-final last month. He received some rough treatment and was substituted midway through the second half just before Nigeria broke the deadlock.
Samuel Kalu, who collapsed while training last Friday with severe dehydration, replaced Moses Simon deep in stoppage time.
Although the countries have made 30 appearances between them at the Cup of Nations, this was only the second time they had met, the first was a 1-1 draw in Ethiopia 43 years ago.
Nigeria’s German coach Gernot Rohr made five changes, including dropping veteran captain John Obi Mikel with Ahmed Musa wearing the armband.
Belgium-born Guinea coach Paul Put, who took outsiders Burkina Faso to the 2013 final, made three alterations, including the promotion of goalkeeper Ibrahim Kone.
Guinean Francois Kamano had an opportunity to threaten Nigeria midway through the opening half in 30 degrees celsius (86 fahrenheit) heat, but blazed a free-kick over the bar.
Nigeria’s Odion Ighalo, who came off the bench to score the goal that beat Burundi, broke clear just after the half-hour mark and his angled shot flew into the side netting.
Nigeria were more assertive as the second half progressed and an interception prevented a Musa pass after a great run finding the unmarked Ighalo.
Coach Put decided that Keita was not sufficiently fit to last a full match in the heat and replaced him with Lass Bangoura on 71 minutes.
Two minutes later Nigeria took a deserved lead as Omeruo, one of three survivors from the 2013 Cup of Nations-winning team in the squad, nodded a corner past Kone.
Wasteful Zimbabwe held to 1-1 draw by Uganda
Knowledge Musona’s incredible open-goal miss proved costly as a wasteful Zimbabwe were held to a 1-1 draw by Uganda at the Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday.
Emmanuel Okwi pounced on a rebound to nudge Uganda ahead on 12 minutes in Cairo but Khama Billiat levelled for Zimbabwe with a glancing finish shortly before half-time.
Uganda edged closer towards qualification for the last 16 after moving onto four points in Group A, leaving Zimbabwe needing to beat the Democratic Republic of Congo in their final game to stand a chance of squeezing through.
After winning a Cup of Nations match for the first time in 41 years with Saturday’s 2-0 defeat of DR Congo, Uganda jumped out to a dream start when Okwi bundled home after Abdu Lumala’s low drive was parried by Zimbabwe goalkeeper George Chigova.
Zimbabwe, beaten 1-0 by Egypt in the opening game of the tournament, created a number of chances in response, with captain Musona ballooning over after Billiat’s cutback rolled invitingly into his path.
Alexandria
Nigeria became the first qualifiers for the second round of the Africa Cup of Nations when they beat Guinea 1-0 in Alexandria on Wednesday with Kenneth Omeruo scoring the only goal.
Centre-back Omeruo headed a corner into the net on 73 minutes to earn the Super Eagles a second straight Group B victory after beating Burundi by the same score four days ago.
Nigeria have a maximum six points, Madagascar and Guinea one each and Burundi are pointless in the group. The Burundians and Malagasies meet on Thursday.
Guinea star Naby Keita started his first match since being injured playing for Liverpool at Barcelona in a Champions League semi-final last month. He received some rough treatment and was substituted midway through the second half just before Nigeria broke the deadlock.
Samuel Kalu, who collapsed while training last Friday with severe dehydration, replaced Moses Simon deep in stoppage time.
Although the countries have made 30 appearances between them at the Cup of Nations, this was only the second time they had met, the first was a 1-1 draw in Ethiopia 43 years ago.
Nigeria’s German coach Gernot Rohr made five changes, including dropping veteran captain John Obi Mikel with Ahmed Musa wearing the armband.
Belgium-born Guinea coach Paul Put, who took outsiders Burkina Faso to the 2013 final, made three alterations, including the promotion of goalkeeper Ibrahim Kone.
Guinean Francois Kamano had an opportunity to threaten Nigeria midway through the opening half in 30 degrees celsius (86 fahrenheit) heat, but blazed a free-kick over the bar.
Nigeria’s Odion Ighalo, who came off the bench to score the goal that beat Burundi, broke clear just after the half-hour mark and his angled shot flew into the side netting.
Nigeria were more assertive as the second half progressed and an interception prevented a Musa pass after a great run finding the unmarked Ighalo.
Coach Put decided that Keita was not sufficiently fit to last a full match in the heat and replaced him with Lass Bangoura on 71 minutes.
Two minutes later Nigeria took a deserved lead as Omeruo, one of three survivors from the 2013 Cup of Nations-winning team in the squad, nodded a corner past Kone.
Wasteful Zimbabwe held to 1-1 draw by Uganda
Knowledge Musona’s incredible open-goal miss proved costly as a wasteful Zimbabwe were held to a 1-1 draw by Uganda at the Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday.
Emmanuel Okwi pounced on a rebound to nudge Uganda ahead on 12 minutes in Cairo but Khama Billiat levelled for Zimbabwe with a glancing finish shortly before half-time.
Uganda edged closer towards qualification for the last 16 after moving onto four points in Group A, leaving Zimbabwe needing to beat the Democratic Republic of Congo in their final game to stand a chance of squeezing through.
After winning a Cup of Nations match for the first time in 41 years with Saturday’s 2-0 defeat of DR Congo, Uganda jumped out to a dream start when Okwi bundled home after Abdu Lumala’s low drive was parried by Zimbabwe goalkeeper George Chigova.
Zimbabwe, beaten 1-0 by Egypt in the opening game of the tournament, created a number of chances in response, with captain Musona ballooning over after Billiat’s cutback rolled invitingly into his path.
