Ok, I am getting excited here.  Nigeria just downed the Irish in Dublin. The 
Irish eliminated the Dutch from the WC, sthg I find quite unbelievable.  

I am of the firm belief that an African team might just win the WC this time 
around.  Cameroon has what it takes.

Senegal on the other hand, lost to Saudia yesterday.  I saw the game and 
Senegal looked the better side but Saudis capitalized on defensive 
indiscipline and carelessnes of our cousins.  I am a bit worried about them 
at this pt.  Seems like they might have to learn the hard way.

THIS report is independent...Super Eagles soar at Lansdowne 

By Paul Doyle at Lansdowne Rd
Ireland 1 Nigeria 2

MAY 16th: Ireland were outclassed at Lansdowne Road tonight by a Nigerian 
team with half a dozen Damien Duffs and a resilient defence.

The Africans may have a reputation for indiscipline but they exposed the 
deficiency of a rigid order as their extravagant individual skills made the 
hardworking Irish look decidedly stale.

Ballyboden’s boy wonder was, until the half-time introduction of Stephen 
Reid, the only Irish player to look anywhere near as gifted as the visitors, 
but it was another young striker who made the most telling early impression. 
20-year-old Julius Aghahowa opened the scoring after only 9 minutes. The 
Shaktar Donetsk hotrod ignited celebrations amongst the hundreds of vocal 
Nigerian fans when he applied the finishing touch to a superb Jay Jay Okocha 
ball. Okocha was the orchestrator supreme, his fabulous feints and flicks 
frequently affording him the space to pick out any forward he wanted. 

Ireland, fielding what may be their first choice eleven, had plenty of 
possession, but looked ponderous in comparison to the inspired visitors. 
Nonetheless Mick McCarthy’s men created several opportunities.

Robbie Keane went close with a header from a Kevin Kilbane cross in the 14th 
minute and seven minutes later, dubious man-of-the-match, Steve Staunton 
stung goalkeeper Shorunmu’s fingers with a rasping drive from twenty yards. 
Matt Holland also tested the ‘keeper with a long-ranger as did Duff just 
before the break.

The Irish manager may have consoled his troops at half-time with the 
information that Group E opponent Cameroon are not as lavishly talented as 
their Nigerian neighbours, but any confidence he succeeded in instilling in 
them must have taken a battering when the visitors, who seldom accelerated 
beyond cruise control, doubled their lead just after the break.

Crewe Alexandra’s bandana-bearing Efe Sodje was the scorer, as he headed home 
a corner after being left totally unmarked in the six yard box. The battling 
defender capatilised on a dreadful breakdown of communication between Shay 
Given and skipper Roy Keane, the Cork man left flat footed as the Nigerian 
rose uncontested to head home from a fairly straightforward delivery.

Ireland persevered admirably and continued to menace the Nigerian defenders 
with game running and frequent crosses. On the hour mark McCarthy made a trio 
of attacking substitutions which seemed to inject extra zest into the boys in 
green. In the 69th minute the home team struck back in impressive fashion. 
The bustling Reid, who had planned to be on a Barbados beach tonight, burst 
past Taribo West and indirectly exchanged passes with Clinton Morrison before 
firing a ferocious fizzer into the top corner well beyond the reach of 
Shorunmu.

Ireland continued to pound away laboriously and their persistence was nearly 
rewarded when Ian Harte went close with a thirty-yard stinger, but as players 
began to ponder the consequences of injury, the match petered out into a neat 
exhibition although Mark Kinsella had a goal ruled out for offside.

Nigerian boss Festus Onigbende can now go to Asia confident that his side’s 
system of constant spontaneous combustion could well scorch their Group F 
opponents. Diligent Ireland, meanwhile, can be satisfied with another 
enthusiastic display but will know now that the difference between holding 
the great and defining the great is a frustratingly big one 
    
    

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