Nigeria’s Super Eagles on Tuesday in
Alexandria failed to qualify for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after a
0-1 loss to the Pharaohs of Egypt.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the loss in their
Group G Match Day Three fixture ensured a second consecutive absence for the
three-time African champions.
With just one game remaining and only the group winners to
qualify, Nigeria cannot make up their five-point deficit to group leaders Egypt
who now have seven points.
Ramadan Sobhy's 65th-minute goal put Egypt in shape for
qualification, and added to the misery of Nigeria whose campaign had been
fraught with many mishaps from the beginning.
Egypt with only one match to play now visit Tanzania in June and
need to do virtually nothing, such as avoiding a 0-4 defeat, to qualify for
Gabon.
The East Africans are presently on one point from two matches,
and can only upstage the Egyptians if they massively beat the North Africans
and Nigeria.
To have any chance of qualification, Tanzania would need to beat
Egypt by a better scoreline than the 3-0 defeat they suffered in Egypt last
June.
This is because head-to-head records will come into effect, if
Tanzania beat Nigeria and they and Egypt finished level on points.
Nigeria will host Tanzania in September, but it is just a
fixture for the Eagles, with the full points not going to take them anywhere
near Egypt.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Tuesday's match in
Alexandria became an all-or-nothing tie after Chad withdrew from the group on
Sunday, citing financial difficulties.
All results from their matches were then erased, putting Nigeria
in a more difficult position as that left only three teams in Group G.
In accordance with the rules of the Confederation of African
Football (CAF), only the winners would qualify for the finals.(NAN)
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