OWN CORRESPONDENT, Lagos | Sunday 8.00pm.
CAMEROON lifted the African Nations Cup for a third time when they defeated Nigeria 4-3 on penalties on Sunday after a 2-2 draw following extra time.
Captain Rigobert Song converted the last of the five mandatory spot kicks to give his team an unexpected success after Nwankwo Kanu and Victor Ikpeba missed for Nigeria.
It was a dramatic end to a match Cameroon appeared to have wrapped up when they moved two goals ahead midway through the first half only for co-hosts Nigeria to storm back.
Samuel Eto’o put Cameroon ahead in the 25th minute, Patrick Mboma added a second five minutes later, Ndukwe Chukwu reduced arrears just before the break and Augustine “Jay Jay” Okocha levelled within 90 seconds of the restart.
Nigeria started as favourites on a ground where they last lost 19 years ago and confident in the knowledge that nine of the previous 11 hosts who reached the final lifted the trophy.
However, the 60000 crowd crammed into Surulere Stadium had little to cheer in the opening stages as the Indomitable Lions settled quickly in their attempt to complete a hat-trick of final victories over their opponents.
A foul by Nigerian defender Furo Iyenemi proved particularly costly because Cameroon snatched the lead from the resultant free kick by Pierre Wome as Eto’o pounced on the ball at the near post and fired past goalkeeper Ike Shorunmu.
If this goal stunned green-clad Nigerian supporters, the second soon after induced silence as Mboma picked up an Eto’o pass inside the penalty area and watched his low shot go between the legs of Shorunmu into the net.
But just when the Indomitable Lions thought they had secured a two-goal first-half advantage, Nigeria struck with African Footballer of the Year Nwankwo Kanu passing to Chukwu, who scored with a left-foot shot.
Chukwu was replaced by super sub Julius Aghahowa at the break and less than two minutes into the second half Nigeria were level with one of the best goals of the three-week tournament.
Okocha picked up the ball 30 metres from goal, looked at his target and unleashed a thunderous drive that flew over the outstretched hand of Alioum into the roof of the net. — AFP