Nigeria’s Super Eagles have qualified for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations to be staged in Cameroon from June 15 to July 13 after the team played a 1 – 1 draw at the FNB stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The Super Eagles took the lead in the 9th minute of the encounter when Bafana defender Buhle Mkhwanazi put the ball in the back of his own net after an enticing inward cross from Boudreaux winger Samuel Kalu who started from the right back position. The host pulled back the score line to maintain parity after a beautiful display by Percy Tau and a selfless through ball to Lebo Mothiba to equalize for the South Africans in the 25th minute.
Nigeria went into the game needing at least a draw to qualify for an AFCON tournament for the first time since winning the championship in 2013 under late Stephen Keshi.
Nigeria will play its dead rubber game against bottom placed Seychelles in March of 2019 where most Nigerians will be hoping to see the home based squad prosecuting the encounter while South Africa still has a crucial date with Libya to ensure they will be present in Cameroon.
Libya in the other group encounter beat Seychelles 8 – 1 away from home to put pressure on the South African team who will need at least a draw in their last match to book passage to the Championship.
Nigeria currently tops the group and are through to the championships with 10 points, South Africa are second on the log on 9 points, Libya fighting for a championship spot are on 7 points while Seychelles sits bottom of the log on 1 point.
