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Tuesday
Feb 09th

Nigeria beats Kenya 3-2, qualifies for 2010 World Cup

Football - Nigeria's Super Eagles beat Kenya's Harambee Stars 3-2 in a fast-paced and entertaining 2010 FIFA World Cup-cum-African Cup of Nations finals Group 2 qualifier return match here Saturday to qualify for the World Cup.

The Super Eagles, trailing 1-0 in the first half, scored three goals in the second half to secure the World Cup slot, while Kenya will miss both the World Cup and the Nations Cup final.

Nigeria qualified for the soccer extravaganza with 12 points, emerging the top team in Group 2 after Mozambique pipped Tunisia 1-0 in the other Group 2 match in Maputo Saturday.

Tunisia finished second with 11 points, while Mozambique took the third spot with seven points as Kenya remains at the bottom with three points.

Nigeria, Tunisia and Mozambaque booked the tickets to the African Cup of Nations finals slated for January-February in Angola.

The match at the Moi International Sports Centre saw France-based Kenyan striker, Dennis Oliech shoot Kenya into the lead in the 15th minute through a pass from midfielder Emmanuel Ake.

Oli, who turns out for French First Division side Auxerre, received the pass from Ake who plays in Denmark and shot past Nigeria's custodian Vincent Enyeama.

Nigeria, thirsting for a World Cup slot, played eleven corners against Kenya's three in the first half.

Following Kenya's stand in coach Twahir Muhidin's instructions, Kenyan defenders Musa Otieno, John Njoroge, John Opiyo and Edgar Ochieng kept tabs on Eagles' Lokomotiv Moscow striker, Peter Odemmwingie's bid to score.

Everton striker, Obafemi Martins opened scoring for the visitors in the 62nd minute, shooting past custodian Willis Ochieng to level the scoreline.

Five minutes later, Yakubu Aiyegbeni put Nigeria in the lead before striker Allan Wanga, who plays for Angola headed in Kenya's second goal from Oliech's cross in the 79 minute.

Nigerians threw themselves and every thing forward, in search of the World Cup ticket and there was sense of urgency in their approach.

However, it was Obafemi's surprise third goal in the 83rd minute that caught the Kenyan defence offguard that took the Super Eagles to the World Cup.

It was a hard fought victory for the west Africans.

Kenyans gave a good account of themselves, brushing aside problems that dogged their preparations for the match, sparked by head coach Antoine Hey's boycott after he was instructed by Football Kenya Limited to call up four players, among them striker Dennis Oliech.

Hey walked out of the training camp last Monday, accusing the national federation of interfering with his work and Twahir Muhidin, one of his two deputies, took charge.

Nairobi - 14/11/2009

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