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Super Eagles sneak into quarter-finals

Nigeria's Ikechukwu Uche, right, and Benin's Damien Chrysostome, left, vie for the ball during their Africa Cup of Nations Group B match in Sekondi, Ghana, on Tuesday. Nigeria defeated Benin 2-0 to set up an enticing quarter-final clash against Ghana. PHOTO: AP

Nigeria bounced back from the brink to sneak into the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals on Tuesday, but the door to the last eight closed on Mali.

The two countries were scrapping for the honor of finishing runners-up to Ivory Coast in Group B and passage to the knockout stages, with Nigeria prevailing.

Berti Vogts' under-achieving side set up a last eight date with Ghana by beating Benin 2-0 in Sekondi, with Mali crashing 3-0 to Ivory Coast in Accra.

Nigeria's victory over Benin, after defeat to Ivory Coasts and a goalless draw against Mali, was largely down to the work of Chelsea midfielder Mikel John Obi, who scored their first and set up Yakubu Aiyegbeni for the second.

Obi's Stamford Bridge teammate Didier Drogba celebrated his 50th international cap by firing Ivory Coast into a ninth minute lead over Mali, with Benfica's Marc Zoro and Boubacar Sanogo wrapping up an impressive win.

Ivory Coast's reward for a perfect nine points from the opening round is a quarter-final tie with Guinea, who will be without their suspended skipper Pascal Feindouno, in Sekondi on Sunday.

A supporter of the Nigerian Super Eagles cheers in the stands in Sekondi, Ghana, on Tuesday during their Africa Cup of Nations soccer match against Benin. PHOTO: AFP

There was relief all round in the beleaguered Nigerian Super Eagles camp at avoiding a likely early trip back to Lagos.

"We asked for something of a miracle and it happened," Osaze Odemwingie said.

"We are now up against the host team and if we want to progress in this competition, we will have to beat them as well. We showed great mental strength and that is what we will need again on Sunday. Rule us out at your own risk," said Odemwingie, who after picking up a second booking against Benin will miss the game.

Obi said the win was down to some hard training, and lady luck.

Asked if the side were prepared to take on a resurgent Ghana on home turf he replied: "Hold on -- we celebrated this win in the changing rooms, now we'll go back to the hotel, sleep well, and think about Ghana tomorrow. It's going too be tough, but we've got one of the best sides in the competition and we want to show that to the Ghanaians."

"We gave a good account of ourselves but Nigeria were more determined to carry the day. We wish them the best of luck against Ghana on Sunday," said Benin striker Razak Omotoyossi, whose parents are Nigerians.

In Accra Drogba will have been relieved to have avoided a clash with another Chelsea star on view at the 2008 Cup, Ghana's Michael Essien.

But he wasn't taking the prospect of confronting Guinea lightly.

"We've qualified well, but there's a hard quarter-final ahead for us. Guinea aren't there by accident," he said.

Ivory Coast coach Gerard Gili said the win over Mali would stand them in good stead, with a tough quarter-final coming up.

"Thanks to the individuality and experience of some of the players we won well," he said.

Mali coach Jean-Francois Jolar tipped Ivory Coast to go all the way. "We lost to a strong and complete team, they have everything to win the title."

Explaining the non-appearance of Sevilla striker Fredi Kanoute for the second half he said: "Unfortunately Fredi was injured, it was a big blow. Another blow was Adama Coulibaly, who became ill. I'm very disappointed that we didn't play well in the first half, we didn't take risks in attack, we didn't manage to impose in midfield."

The pre-match focus had been all about whether the two west African neighbors might settle for a cosy draw to allow both to go through at Nigeria's expense, but as Jolar said: "No one can say the game was rigged now!"
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