Mikel brings Vogts relief as Nigeria make quarter-finals

Published on Tuesday 29 January 2008 21:35

MIDFIELDER John Obi Mikel scored and set up another as Nigeria beat Benin 2-0 to reach the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations yesterday.

The result brought relief for Nigeria coach Berti Vogts, the former Scotland manager, who was under pressure to qualify for the final stages following an unconvincing start to the tournament.

The Super Eagles lost their opening Group B game against Ivory Coast and then drew 0-0 with Mali, but Vogts managed to oversee a recovery in the final match of the section.

Nigeria will meet hosts Ghana for a last-four spot on Sunday while Group B winners Ivory Coast, who beat Mali 3-0 in Accra, will take on Guinea. Mali, who needed a draw to progress, are eliminated from the tournament on goal difference.

Nigeria improved after a lacklustre first half at the Essipon Stadium and made the breakthrough on 52 minutes when Obi Mikel headed in a Peter Odemwingie cross after Benin keeper Yoann Djidonou had failed to clear a Taye Taiwo free kick.

The Chelsea midfielder set up striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni, the Everton player, to seal the win with a clinical finish four minutes from time.

Vogts' side had failed to score in their first two matches, losing 1-0 to Ivory Coast and drawing 0-0 against Mali.

Yakubu spurned an early chance to calm Nigeria's nerves when he curled his shot just wide from a good position.

Nigeria keeper Austin Ejide did well to turn Alain Gaspoz's shot around the post as Benin countered but there were few first-half chances of note.

Benin, who were eliminated before kick-off and have now lost all their matches in two Nations Cup finals, had an opportunity two minutes into the second half but Stephane Sessegnon's attempt was parried away by Ejide.

Nigeria's fans were finally able to celebrate when Mikel arrived at the far post to head the opener.

Second-half substitute Victor Nsofor almost doubled the lead when his 67th-minute header hit the crossbar before Yakubu made the game safe.

Ivory Coast, meanwhile, completed a third successive first-round group win as they defeated Mali 3-0.

A ninth-minute goal from captain and Chelsea forward Didier Drogba followed by a second-half header from defender Marc Zoro and a late effort from substitute Boubacar Sanogo ensured the Ivorians finished top of Group B.

Ivory Coast rested several regulars but still overwhelmed Mali, who needed only draw to make sure of their progress to the last eight.

Instead they remained on four points and lost out on goal difference to the Nigerians.

Drogba marked his 50th cap with a 32nd international goal, showing a burst of pace and powerful finish early on. His record for his country denotes him as Africa's most potent forward.

Zoro, playing his first competitive match in more than six months, missed two chances from set pieces but rose unmarked to head home from a corner in the 54th minute.

Drogba had a header cleared off the line on the hour mark while Mali, who lost key striker Frederic Kanoute to injury at half-time, hit the crossbar with a Dramane Traore header.

Sanogo scored his first international goal five minutes from the end to conclude a one-sided win.

"We saw today the quality of the Ivorians, even without their regulars. We had a difficult group and it was no dishonour for us to fail to qualify," said Mali coach Jean-Francois Jodar. "We are extremely disappointed. My team did not play at all in the first half and with a lot of attackers in the second half we still failed to find the goal.

"Maybe the pressure of this decisive game affected us mentally."