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Super Eagles top Group of Death Nigeria, Tunisia reach Nations Cup quarterfinal round
Posted: Thursday February 03, 2000 03:58 PM
ACCRA, Ghana (AP) -- Finidi George and Julius Aghahowa hit spectacular goals as Nigeria's Super Eagles soared into the quarterfinals of the African Nations Cup on Thursday with an impressive 2-0 win against Morocco. Taking full advantage of Morocco's first defeat for 15 months, Tunisia beat the Republic of Congo 1-0 to grab the runner-up spot in Group D ahead of its North African rival. The Super Eagles win the so-called Group of Death with seven points, ahead of Tunisia and Morocco on four points and the Republic of Congo with a single point. Tunisia and Morocco have the same goal difference but Tunisia goes through on goals scored. In the last eight, Nigeria faces Senegal and Tunisia clashes with defending champion Egypt. In Lagos, George's thundering 25-yard (meter) shot midway through the first half was just reward for Nigeria's early domination. Morocco again offered little in attack, especially after Salaheddne Bassir, its only scorer in the competition, limped off in the first half. Tunisia feared that Nigeria and Morocco, which both needed a point to advance, would be in defensive mood. Morocco played to the script but Nigeria, whose disappointing 0-0 draw against the Republic of Congo sparked massive criticism and serious crowd disturbances, went in search of a goal. Jay-Jay Okocha, who scored twice in Nigeria's 4-2 win against Tunisia, was Morocco's biggest headache. The Paris Saint-Germain midfield player struck the crossbar with a 25-yard (meter) free kick in the 15th minute, and just before the break his curling free-kick from the right was acrobatically tipped over by Morocco goalkeeper Khalid Fouhami. Fouhami was kept busy in the second half, saving long-range shots from Okocha and Tijana Babangida. Morocco refused to come out of its defensive shell, and ten minutes from the end Aghahowa chased a long through ball and brilliantly stabbed a shot past Fouhami. In Kano, Radhi Jaidi scored as Tunisia crept above Morocco with a 1-0 win against the Republic of Congo. The Congolese, who failed to score a single goal in three African Cup matches, spurned a fine opportunity in the opening minutes when Richad Bokatola rounded Tunisia's goalkeeper Chokri El Ouaer but shot over the bar. Hassene Gabsi came close after a well-worked free kick before Tunisia grabbed the vital goal in the 18th minute with a far post header from big defender Jaidi.
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