Nigeria, having slumped to second place (ahead of Guinean, who beat Burundi 2-0 thanks to goals by Mohamed Yattara) are now likely to face either Cameroon or Ghana in the next round. Who would they prefer? “Neither” writes Adesegun Agbebiyie. “This Nigeria team is so Jekyll and Hyde. Can be so frustrating watching the conservative approach of the coach backfire. I’m sick to my stomach. But I imagine it’s more likely to be Ghana. Cameroon certainly the stronger team given their games so far. So to answer your question...I’m looking forward to a game against Ghana with dread.”
Full-time: Madagascar 2-0 Nigeria
Before today Madagascar had never even scored against the Super Eagles, now they have beaten them in style! Nigeria were outfought, outthought and outplayed, and Madagascar finish top of the group in their first ever appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations! It’s a sensation and they celebrate accordingly!
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90 min: There will be at least three more minutes. At this rate Nigeria could play for another six hours without creating anything.
89 min: Nigeria work Musa into a fine crossing position... and he sends it straight to the goalkeeper. Just awful.
89 min: immaculate defending by Randrianarisoa, who has replaced Razak well since coming on.
88 min: A shoddy pass by Aina is intercepted, and Madagascar tear forward. They’re relentless enterprise and energy make them terrific fun to watch.
87 min: Aina floats a cross over from the left. Ighalo gets his head to it but can only glance it wide from 10 yards.
Madagascar substitution: Raveloson on, Amada off.
84 min: Ilaimaharitra gets a severe bollocking from the referee, who jabs an angry finger towards him as he warns him that he’s perilously close for a red card. Presumably the Maglasy said something irksome, because the freekick is Madagascar’s.
83 min: Nigeria are going nowhere fast. Madagascar are not going to be denied the greatest win in their history.
81 min: Iwobi does well to win back the ball wide on the right. Ilaimaharitra resorts to a foul to stop the counter-attack. He gets as booking that rules him out of the next match. He’ll be a big loss for Madagascar. Can can Nigeria exact retribution from the freekick? No, because Etebo tonks it into the wall.
79 min: Terrific tackle by Randrianarisoa to thwart a Nigeria attack.
78 min: Andriamahitsinoro leads a rare breakaway and wins a corner, which they waste.
77 min: Madagascar have been forced to curb their attacking enthusiasm and concentrate on keeping the Super Eagles at bay. They’re being helpd by Nigeri’s lack of precision when it really matters.
75 min: A bad Nigerian corner is headed gratefully to safety.
Madagascar substitution: Many (Randrianarisoa) on, Razak off.
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Nigeria substitution: Simon on, Kalu off.
71 min: Razak goes down with a knock. On comes the medic with the magic spray. Meanwhile, Gernot Rohr uses the pause to shout instructions at his players. “Play better!” seems to be the gist of it.
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68 min: “The pressure is mounting from Nigeria. Razak does well to nudge Ighalo off the ball as he tried to wind up a shot after a nice pass by Musa. “Are you using function keys or cut and paste for putting in all those long names or are you typing them out in full every time?!” demands-to-know Sue Hiscock. “hope they keep the score as is, anyway.” I can’t tell you how happy I was when Gros was subbed on.
67 min: Super Eagles fans, assuming your team doesn’t storm back in the last 20 minutes, who would you prefer to face in the next round: Cameroon or Ghana?
66 min: Gros fouls Etebo in a dangerous position. Nigeria have the freekick some 23 yards out, quite central. Etebo fancies taking it himself. And he curls it a yard wide of the post.
64 min: Awazien provides an overlap down the right. Ighalo picks him out. But Razak clears the incoming cross.
63 min: Good work by Iwobi down the left, but none of his teammates react sharply enough when he delivers a useful cross. Madagascar have been snappier from the start.
Madagascar substitution: Gros on, Andriatsima off.
61 min: Melvin flaps at a cross from the right by Kalu. Ndidi tries to sent the ball back into the net with a volley from 12 yards. But he mis-hits it, swiping well off the target.
Nigeria substitution: Iwobi on, Mikel off. Iwobi has had a good tournament so far and his country badly need his creativity here.
58 min: No question of Madagasccar just sitting on their two-goal lead. They want more! And Andriamahitsinoro is leading the charge, jinking down the right before hanging up an inviting cross. Razak nearly pokes it over the line during the ensuing scramble in the Nigeria box, but Ezenwa eventually drops on the ball.
57 min: Ndidi does well to win the ball as it pinnpongs around the Malgasay box. Then he makes space to curl a shot towards goal from 13 yards. It’s held by Melvin, but at least Nigeria can say they’ve had a shot on target now.
54 min: Madagascar are darn near showboating now. There’s certainly new groove in their stride as they pass and move around their illustrious, lubberly opponents. Nigeria have a heck of a job on to get back into this.
GOAl! Madagascar 2-0 Nigeria (Andriamahitsinoro 52)
Ndidi concedes a freekick in promising position for Madagascar, about 28.4 yards out and a little to the left. Andriamahitsinoro steps up and sends a curling shot into the top corner thanks to a big deflection off the hapless Ndidi! Madagascar are two up, and their coaching staff join in the goal celebrations in a mass huddle!
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50 min: Nigeria try unpicking the Malgasay defence centrally, then give up and spin the ball wide to Aina, whose cross from the left goes straight to Mevlin. “Sorry,” says Matt Dony [see 30 mins] .”Are you suggesting that people should actually call their friends? You’re a psychopath.” Come now, people don’t jsut have phones to take photos of themselves. Erm, right?
49 min: Amada spreads a beautiful ball wide to the far side, where Métanire gets it quickly under control and then plays in a dangerous cross. Ezenwa rushes off his line to intercept.
47 min: Kalu leads a Nigeria counter-attack, which peters out as Madagascar retreat fast and shore up all openings.
46 min: Off we go again. Rohr made one change, introducing Wilfried Ndidi for Ogu in an effort to gain more control in midfield. Etebo has been good in there but that hasn’t been enough.
In the group’s other game, Guinea remain 1-0 up on Burundi.
Half-time: Madagascar 1-0 Nigeria
Madagascar, who had never even scored against the Super Eagles before today, have a thoroughly deserved lead. As things stand, they will top their group at their first appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations. They are very well organised, vibrant and ambitious and they have made a rejigged Nigeria side look disjointed and a little bit clueless. This is sensational from Madagascar, unacceptable from Nigeria. Big half ahoy!
45 min: Awazien spanks an attempted through-ball straight out of play. Their approach work has been way below par today. Iwobi and Chukwueze may well be introduced at the break.
44 min: Lovely interplay by Madagascar, picking their way nimbly through the Super Eagles defence.At the edge of the box Andriamahitsinoro slips a dainty pass through to Andriatsima, who blasts into the sidenetting 16 yards. It would have been a super goal.
42 min: In the other game in this group, Mohamed Yattara has put Guinea 1-0 up on Burundi. That would probably be enough to send them through as one of the best third-placed teams if the score stays the same here.
39 min: Etebo curls a nice freekick from 40 yards into the danger zone. Many challenge for it but none connect, leaving the ball to bounce wide of the far post.
37 min: Aina flings a long throw to the edge of the six-yard box. Melvin comes and meets it with a flimsy punch when he could easily have caught it. Luckily for him, his defenders tidy up.
36 min: Nigeria knock the ball around in their own half. but Madagascar, organised and hard-working, are giving them no easy route forward and the Super Eagles look short of ideas. And Madagascar are primed to exploit the slightest mistake...
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34 min: Andriamahitsinoro sends an outswinging corner towards the near post, where Fontaine headbutts many yards wide.
30 min: Madagascar play themselves into trouble at the back and Nigeria move quickly to punish them, pinging the ball across to Musa near the penalty spot. The goalkeeper flies out at the striker, who sidesteps him swiftly but, in doing so, loses the ball to a defender. The keeper’s speed saved Madagascar there. “I think we’re largely above ‘shout-outs’ on the MBM, but I have a friend living in Madagascar who follows sport on the Guardian and occasionally gives me grief for the humorous(!) missives that I pepper you guys with,” ingratiates matt Dony. “But, can I just say a big ‘Hi, Chris! Hope Madagascar close out the win!’” Anyone else want to say hello to a friend and too cheap to pick up a phone?
28 min: if Nigeria lose top spot in this group, they could face Ghana or Cameroon in the next round, a far more difficult proposition than the one they would get as group winners (in which case they would face a team that finished third). So they’d best get their act together.
26 min: Madagascar have been the better side since taking the lead, far more fluent than their disjointed opponents.
24 min: Madagascar pounce on more Nigerian sloppiness, then rip forward. Mombris pulls a good bckk back from the byline but Amada doesn’t make a clean connection, stabbing wide from 10 yards.
23 min: Etebo does well to escape three opponents on the edge of his own area. They don’t have swarm around players, these dynamic Malgasy.
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22 min: If Nigeria pressed as well as Madagascar did for their goal, the they, too, could nick one. Because Madagascar are determined to keep playing out from the back in dicey fashion.
20 min: Musa, picking up the ball in the pocket, darts towards the Madagascan box before shifting the ball wide to Kalu, coming in on the right. Kalu’s shot doesn’t bend as much as he anticipated, missing the target by at least five yards.
18 min: Fontaine steps in to take the ball of Kalu with ease at the edge of the Madagascan area.
17 min: The passing in this game is sketchy by both sides.
15 min: Inflated by the goal, Madagascar are playing with fresh verve. Nigeria looked so comfortable early (lulled into fake security, as it turned out) but they’re frazzled.
GOAL! Madagascar 1-0 Nigeria (Nomenjanahary 13)
Madagascar have the lead and their first ever goal against Nigeria! It came from dynamic pressing and dozy Nigerian defending, as Balogun was caught in possession by Nomenjanahary at the edge of his own box. The forward than danced coolly past the keeper and rolled into the net. It’s a sensation!
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12 min: Ilaimaharitra goes on a good run through midfield before being pulled back, earning a freekick for Madagascar.
11 min: Andriamahitsinoro catches Mikel with a late tackle near half-way. Nigeria are just a little too slick for Madagascar at the moment.
9 min: Razak concedes a freekick in a dangerous position by clonking into Ighalo from behind. Madagascar erect a four-man wall. Musa curls it over them ... and over the bar.
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7 min: Just as Madagascar brightened up and made a move into Nigerian territory, they were robbed of possession and looked vulnerable to a counter-attack. but Mikel gives them a reprieve with a shoddy attempted through-ball.
5 min: It’s all Nigeria so far. Madagascar can’t get out of their own half at the moment.
3 min: The Super Eagles threaten for the first time. Awaziem clips a cross towards the back post, where Mikel jumps for it. Under pressure he can only head up in the air, but when the ball drops he tries to steer it towards goals. Fontaine makes a good block.
1 min: Nigeria get the game going. The first minute goes by at a very leisurely pace. It’s mighty hot out there.
Before kickoff there is a a minute’s silence in memory of the people who died at the independence day concert at the Mahamasina stadium last week.
The Nigerian anthem is a more solemn affair, and the players look as earnest as they can.
The Madagascan players turn sideways to face an empty stand as their national anthem is played. There’s no lack of gusto in their signing, though.
Burundi v Guinean teams
The stakes are still high in this group’s other game: Guinea could still nick second spot in the group with a big win, while Burundi have a shot at third place and, even if that is a remote possibility, will be aiming to ensure they leave their first Afcon with a wain, at least. There’s no place in the starting lineup for Saido Berahino for them.
Burundi: Nahimana; Nizigiyimana, Ngandu, Nsabiyumva, Nduwarugira; Bigirimana, Kwizera; Shabani, Mustafa, Amissi; Abdul Razak
Guinea: Koné; Dryestam, Seka, Falette, Sylla; Cissé, Diawara; Yattara, Kamano, Traoré; Kaba
Referee: N El-Jaafari (Morocco)
Teams:
Gernot Rohr has made six changes to the Suepr Eagles’ starting lineup, whereas Nicolas Dupuis has decided not to tinker with a winning formula, sticking with the same 11 who began their historic 1-0 win over Burundi.
Madagascar: Melvin; Métanire, Mombris, Razakanantenaina, Fontaine; Ilaimaharita, Andrianantenaina, Nomenjanahary, Amada, ; Andriamahitsinoro, Andriatsima,
Subs: Dabo, Rakotoharisoa, Randrianarisoa, Caloin, Andrinarimanana, Raktoharimalala, Voavy, Morel, Randrianasolo, Rambeloson, Raveloson, Gros
Nigeria: Ezenwa; Awaziem, Balogun, Ekong, Aina; Etebo, Ogu, Mikel, Kalu, Musa; Ighalo
Subs: Collins, Ndidi, Onyekuru, Chukwuezze, Onuachu, Simon, Akpeyi, Iwobi, Osimhen, Omeruo, Uzoho
Referee: B Gassama (Gambia)
Preamble
Hello and welcome and let’s hope yesterday was a freakish off-day. The 2019 Afcon had been going along nicely until Saturday’s trio of gruelling 0-0 draws. For today the signs are promising: Zimbabwe and DR Congo have to go each other like mighty warriors and leopards because each has to win to have any chance of advancing to the next stages. Meanwhile, humble Madagascar are already assured of going beyond the group stages at their first ever appearance in the finals but can go through as group winners if they add to their exploits by beating Nigeria, no less. That is something Madagascar has never managed to do – in fact, they’ve never so much as scored a goal against the Super Eagles – but they are in history-making mood and, what is more, the Nigeria may field a much-changed lineup after winning both of their first two games. Mind you, that will not necessarily make them weaker, so the Barea still have it all to. It’s on!
