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Nigeria cemented its place as Group A Leader

Nigeria cemented its place as Group A Leader

The Diaspora of Nigeria
Mon 02 Jun 2014 00:00 GMT

Nigeria cemented its place as Group A Leader

Nigeria Strengthens Its Position in Group A
Nigeria striker in action while Midfielder Williams Aniekan closes in.

 

The Diaspora Nigeria team of coach Richard Opanuga put on another world class display in a 2–1 win at the Heurich stadium over Brazil, kept the top spot and cemented its place as Leader of Group A with a perfect 4–0–0 record.  The match got off to a fast start with Brazil nearly taking the lead less than 10 minutes in.  It’s not secret to anyone that the top favorite Brazil of the 2014 Diaspora World Cup edition has struggled to put together a solid line up for each game.

However, they surprisingly made the better start to the match with a goal after just 20 minutes in the first half, with Nigeria's narrow defensive shape allowing them to deliver a couple of threatening crosses in the opening few minutes.  Nigeria remained a constant threat on the counter-attack, with Mo Mohamed keeping Brazil on their guard by curling the ball against the crossbar after some 35 minutes.   Coming off a pretty impressive half, Brazil completely crumbled and collapsed after they conceded the first goal and the second one just within minutes.  They got scrutinized by Nigeria on what was a rather entertaining game.  During the remaining second half, Nigeria has given reasons why its squad is littered with great players and the team clearly has the best midfield in the 2014 Diaspora World Cup. They went unbeaten so far and are in control of the Group A.

A Competitive Group Stage

The 2014 Diaspora World Cup featured 20 national teams competing in Maryland. Contemporary reporting described teams being placed into groups, with qualification depending on their performances during the group stage.

 

Results from other groups showed how closely contested the tournament could be. Sierra Leone, for example, had recorded two wins, one draw and one defeat after four matches in its group, demonstrating the importance of every result during the competition.

Nigeria Among the Tournament's National Teams

Nigeria was part of a wider field of teams representing different national communities in the Diaspora World Cup. The tournament created an opportunity for players living in the United States to compete while representing their national heritage.

 

The competition also included established diaspora football communities from countries such as Sierra Leone, Trinidad & Tobago, Liberia, Ghana, England, Senegal, South Africa, Turkey and Tanzania.
Fabio Cannavaro pictured outside the Paradiso training centre in Naples

Nigeria Strengthens Its Position in Group A

With qualification places available from the group stage, teams had to maintain their performances throughout the tournament. The results from each match could have a direct effect on a team's position and its chances of advancing.

 

Nigeria's reported position at the top of Group A therefore represented an important stage in its tournament campaign. As the competition continued, the team would need to maintain its form and collect further results to remain in contention for the later rounds.

The Race for Qualification

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