Nigeria will play Zimbabwe in the third place match of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) on Saturday, February 1.
The Super Eagles suffered their second defeat of the tournament in a hard-fought duel with fellow West Africans, Ghana, who will now play winners of the Wednesday’s second semi-final, Libya, in Sunday’s final at the Cape Town Stadium.
The match had ended goalless and after regulation time and with both teams unable to break the deadlock after extra-time, it headed for the lottery of the spot-kick- the ‘Black Stars’ eventually reached their second CHAN final following a 4-1 win over Nigeria.
Ghana played for over 50 minutes with ten men after Kwabena Adusei got his marching order in a second bookable offence for a bad tackle on Abubakar Ibrahim.
And with both defence well organised for the whole of 90 minutes, the game proceeded into extra-time. Ghanaian goalkeeper Stephen Adams made the best save of the match when he dived low to push a goal-bound Ugonna Uzochukwu header over the bar in on the nick of second-half (extra-time) injury-time.
That singular moment kept the Black Stars in contention as the Eagles never had time for the resultant corner-kick before the referee blew for penalties.
Ghana converted all their four spot-kicks as Adams saved Kwambe Solomon’s penalty while Uzochukwu sent his effort over the cross bar.
