Cup goes for keeps As Nigeria, Cameroon reach finals

Accra (Greater Accra) 11 February 2000

The Shehu Shagari cup donated 20 years ago by the former Nigerian President is set to find a permanent home in either Nigeria or Cameroun after next Sunday’ Africa Cup finals in Lagos, Nigeria.

The cup, which replaced the Unity cup won for keeps by Ghana in 1978, has been won twice each by the two finalists who do battle on Sunday’s to draw the curtain on Africa’s biggest soccer fiesta.

The tournament which was co-hosted for the first time by Ghana Nigeria, kicked off three weeks ago with 16 teams. Apart from having the cup for keeps the winners will be the first champions of in at the dawn of the 21^st Century.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles beat the Bafana Bafana of South Africa 2-0 in their semi-final match played at the Lagos Surulere Stadium while Cameroon's Indomitable Lions proved too hot to handle in their encounter with Tunisia who they whipped 3 – 0 in their encounter in Accra.

Nigeria showed their preparedness to wear the African soccer crown when winger Tijani Babangida scored the fastest goal in the tournament with a 45^th second goal in their match against South Africa.

Babangida made a solo run through midfield into scoring range after collecting a pass from behind. The intelligent winger did not lay a pass as read by the Tunisian rear-men but fired a long one to the far corner of the net to register the fastest goal of CAN 2000.

Incensed by the early lead Nigeria defined the pattern of the exchanges that followed with their cohesive play and clinical touches from Kano in midfield that nullified the absence of suspended playmaker, Austin Okocha.

That however did not stop the Bafana Bafana from making threatening incursions as Shaun Bartlett and Siyabonga Nomvete showed predatory instincts.

Nigeria could have made it two in the 17^th minute when Kano sliced one unto the path of Raphael Chukwu but as the striker ventured to provide the finishing, he went into a collision with goalkeeper Andre Arendse of Bafana Bafana. A minute later Babangida hit a free-kick into a defensive wall which was replied with a fast break by South Africa for Nomvete to hit the side net.

The second goal of the match, came the way of Nigeria in the 32^nd minute when Babangida curled one past Arendse to receive a spontaneous uproar from the crowd.

Eager to reach their third finals in a row, South Africa pushed more people into attack Mark Fish overlapping adventurously but skipper Sunday Oliseh and Celestine Babayaro managed to apply the breaks on the Bafana Bafana till full time.

After a balanced and scoreless first half at the Accra Sports Stadium in which Tunisia could have been up by at least one goal, Cameroun returned the stronger side in the second half and managed to drub their opponents by three goals without reply.

Five minutes into the second half Cameroon's Marc Vivien Foe effected a throw-in which resulted in a goal mouth scramble in Tunisia’s box. Man-of-the-match, Mboma struggled to reach to the ball and let go a left footer into the net for the opening goal.

Cameroon took total control of the game from then on and piled on pressure with Etame Mayer and Marc Vivien proving effective in midfield.

Nine minutes to time Olembe Olembe set on Samuel Eto’o Fils to score Cameroon’s second.

In the 87^th minute, Olembe Olembe tailored a pass to advancing Mboma on the right and the striker squeezed one through an acute angle to put the Tunisians beyond recovery.

With Cameroon winning the Cup in 1984 and 1988 a win in Sunday’s match make the trophy their bona fide property.

Nigeria on the other hand annexed the Cup in 1980 and 1994 and a win will give them the cup donated by their former head of state for keeps.

With Tunisia and South Africa failing to reach the finals, the two will lock horns at the Accra Sports Stadium on Saturday in a third placed match which South Africa is expected to win.

By Evans Owusu

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