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”My boys have character” Keshi

Super Eagles manager, Stephen Keshi says his team showed ”character ” after Nigeria came back from three goals down to beat Morocco in a historic CHAN 2014 quarter-final encounter in Cape Town on Saturday.

The Super Eagles boss said he told the players at half -time that they were showing too much respect to Morocco, and that they needed to impose their own game on the North Africans.

Keshi said the boys were hardworking and disciplined, adding that all he wanted was for them not to play under pressure, so they could enjoy their game.

The Super Eagles staged the greatest come-back in the history of African Cup of Nations Championship after the team came back from three goals down at half time to beat Morocco 4-3 in extra-time.

Soccer fans inside the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday would imagine that the encounter was over after the Atlas Lions scored three goals inside ten minutes and looked to have booked a semi-final ticket.

Morocco opened scoring in the 33rd minutes through Mohsine Moutaouali, who beautifully chipped the ball over Nigeria goalkeeper Agbim.

Iajour doubled the lead four minutes later with a well-taken free kick just outside the penalty box before El Ouadi teed up Moutaouali, who fired home the third three minutes after.

Trailing 0-3 in the first 45 minutes, the game looked beyond the Super Eagles and the North African supporters were already celebrating victory over their Nigerian counterparts as the centre referee signaled for break.

However, as anticipated by ever supportive Nigerian fans inside the Cape Town Stadium, the Stephen Keshi tutored boys raised their game and looked more ambitious in the second half. Their efforts paid off as  Ugonna Uzochukwu  recorded a goal four minutes  into the second half.

The early goal seemed to be the needed tonic for the Eagles as Inspirational midfielder Rabiu Ali gave the team hope, when he reduced the deficit in the 56th minutes with a shot taken from outside the box.

Nigeria took control of the game from that moment and pilled more pressure on their opponents.

Tournament revelation and arguably, Super Eagles’ most valuable player in South Africa, Ejike Uzoenyi’s solo-run finally resulted in the much anticipated equaliser at stoppage time. Uzoenyi’s 90th minute cracking shot from outside the 18 yard box, beat the Moroccan goalkeeper to send the match into extra time.

With the two sides desperately fighting for the winner, Stephen Keshi’s joker of the day, substitute Aliu Ibrahim sealed victory for Nigeria after goalkeeper Lamyarghri, in goal for Morocco fumbled the ball with 9 minutes to the end of the titanic encounter.

Coach, Stephen Keshi, who has consistently expressed confidence in the team made up of mainly domestic league players was mobbed by members of his technical crew in jubilation immediately after the final whistle.

Keshi had suspended his 52nd birthday celebration two days earlier, saying ” until we accomplish our goal here”.

In the second quarter-final match on Saturday, striker Simba Sithole and midfielder Kuda Mahachi scored in each half keep Zimbabwe’s dreams of a first-ever CHAN final alive, beating Mali 2-1.

Mali’s consolation goal came in the 88th minute, when Hamidou Sinayoko headed in a chipped pass from Abdoulaye Sissoko. The goal ended Zimbabwe’s record as the only team without any goal against.

Nigeria will meet the winners of Sunday’s quarter-final match between the Black Stars of Ghana and DR Congo in next week’s semi-final, while winners of the last quarter-final game between Gabon and Libya will battle Zimbabwe for a place in the grand finals.

By Demola Aluko