Nigeria made their first match against France an occasion to remember when they beat the former world and European champions 1-0 in a friendly in St Etienne on Tuesday. The visitors struck on 32 minutes, Joseph Akpala following up after an effort by fellow striker Ikechukwu Uche had bounced off the post.
France had the better of the early chances but Nicolas Anelka and Franck Ribery were both thwarted by goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama before Akpala’s goal.
Loic Remy hit the post late for France, but coach Raymond Domenech’s team was outplayed for much of the match and French fans chanted for Domenech to resign toward the end.
PHOTO: AFP
“That’s one of the worst halves I’ve seen,” Domenech said on French television at half-time. “It’s worrying.”
The Nigerian goal came after Uche burst past Patrice Evra down the left and fired off a shot that was saved by goalkeeper Steve Mandanda, only for the ball to clip the post, hit Mandanda on his back and roll invitingly across goal to give Akpala a tap-in.
France play Turkey in Lyon tomorrow, giving Domenech a chance to win back the fans, while Nigeria take on Kenya in a World Cup qualifier in Abuja on Sunday.
France were missing Florent Malouda with a calf strain but Patrick Vieira lasted the full 90 minutes in only his third appearance for France in the past 18 months.
“On a personal level I am satisfied. It’s important to play,” Vieira said after his 107th appearance for Les Bleus. “We have to keep working hard and not give up. It’s a shame the fans jeered us.’’
However, Vieira accepted that the French performed badly.
“Physically and tactically they are strong. But we got it wrong tactically,” Vieira said. “We created chances but didn’t score. It’s true that it was an average performance.”
The French players took the field with their names in Braille on the back of their jerseys, marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of French inventor Louis Braille.
Karim Benzema almost scored with a header for France in the 18th minute, but Enyeama saved well.
Nigeria bounced back and Uche almost equalized when his chip over Mandanda was headed off the line by defender Sebastien Squillaci.
Peter Odewingie could have doubled Nigeria’s lead before the break, but Mandanda saved low, and then Uche shot wide.
France substitute Andre-Pierre Gignac almost set up Ribery for the equalizer in the 52nd, but the winger flicked his shot wide.
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