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Nigeria became the first African team to qualify for World Cup 2014 with an empathic 2-0 win in the second leg of their tie against continental rivals Ethiopia yesterday with Liverpool winger Victor Moses opening the scoring from the spot after his side were handed a contentious penalty.
The Super Eagles booked their spot in Brazil with a 4-1 aggregate win and will make their fifth appearance in the summer’s showpiece event after previously qualifying in 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2010. Moses, who earlier in the week was nominated for the BBC African Footballer of the Year award, finished coolly from 12 yards after Aynalem Hailu was adjudged to have handled in the area — despite the ball first striking his midriff before ricocheting onto his arm.
Nigeria conceded only four goals through their eight qualifying matches and before it was over, FC Lokomotiv Moscow striker Victor Obinna doubled their tally with a 25-yard free kick to wrap up proceedings.
Later in the day, club mate Kolo Toure got the start for the Ivory Coast as they squeaked a 1-1 draw with Senegal to qualify for the World Cup. It took a late goal from former Chelsea attacker Salomon Kalou to seal the deal, but the draw was enough to send the African nation through to Brazil. There’s going to be some serious competition for plane tickets to South America next summer and hopefully Kolo will be able to find a himself a place and close out his international career at the biggest party on the planet.
