THE Super Eagles booked their ticket to the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire next year with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Sierra Leone in Monrovia, Liberia tonight.
With the result, Nigeria went back on top of qualifying Group A with 12 points from five matches, with Guinea-Bissau second two points adrift.
Sierra Leone are third with five points, and with only one round of games left, they cannot catch up with Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau, who have claimed the two Group A spots.
Victor Osimhen scored twice to take his tally in the qualifying series to seven goals, with substitute Kelechi Iheanacho notching a late winner after the Leone Stars had pulled it back to 2-2 through Mustapha Bundu and August Kargbo.
Napoli striker Osimhen got the Super Eagles off to a superb start with the opener in the 19th minute, expertly chipping the ball over the advancing Sierra Leone goalkeeper.
The Serie A top scorer for the just-ended season made it 2-0 in the 32nd minute and it looked like it was going to be a cruise for Jose Peseiro’s side.
The Super Eagles took their collective foot off the pedal though and gave the hosts a way back in as Bundu bulldozed his way to slot past debuting goalkeeper Adebayo Adeleye four minutes before half-time.
Nigeria had numerous opportunities to put the game to bed in the second half but spurned them all, and a spirited Sierra Leone side got the equaliser their endeavour deserved.
With six minutes left of regulation time, the Leone Stars equalised and sent the half-filled Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium into a frenzy as Kargbo’s shot from just outside the box flew past Adeleye.
Even a draw would have been enough for the Super Eagles to qualify but Sierra Leone had to win to stay in contention.
In their desperate bid to get the goal that would preserve their dream, they left themselves open and Zaidu Sanusi ran through to put it on a plate for Iheanacho to tap home in the fifth minute of added-on time.
