Super Eagles' World Cup qualification put on hold following 1-1 draw with Cameroon in Yaounde

NIGERIA'S qualification for the 2018 World Cup has been put on hold for the time being after the Super eagles only managed to9 secure a 1-1 draw with Cameroon's Indomitable Lions in Yaounde.

Last Friday, the Eagles beat the Lions 4-0 in Uyo and a victory tonight would have all but secured the team's qualification for Russia 2018 but a casual and pedestrian second half cost them all three points. Nigeria took the lead in the 30th minute through Moses Simon and were in full control of the game until the 75th minute when they allowed Cameroon back into the match.

Goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa's clumsy challenge on Arnaud Djoum gifted Les Lions a lifeline and substitute Vincent Aboubakar levelled matters from the spot. After that, Cameroon kept pressing for a winner but the Eagles managed to hold firm and even created one of two chances of their own.

With this draw, Nigeria now has 10 points from four games, while Cameroon are out with three points, having lost one and drawn three of their qualification matches. Zambia and Algeria, the two other teams in the group play tomorrow to see who can challenge Nigeria for the qualification spot, as mathematically, both of them can still qualify.

Zambia are placed second in the group with four points, while Algeria prop up the table with just a point from their home daw with Cameroon. Whatever happens, Nigeria will have to wait until October 17 when the Eagles play Zambia in Uyo to secure qualification.

A win in that match and Nigeria will have an unassailable lead that will make the Eagles' final group game away to Algeria a mere formality. Only the group leader qualifies for the World Cup and despite the minor hiccup in Yaounde, the Eagles still remain in pole position to clinch the ticket.