World Cup Qualifier: Osimhen, Musa Score To Lift Nigeria Over Liberia

 

Victor Osimhen and Ahmed Musa both scored penalties as Nigeria beat Liberia 2-0 in a World Cup Qualifying match held in Tangier, Morocco on Saturday.

Osimhen converted a 15th-minute penalty after Kelechi Iheanacho was fouled and substitute Ahmed Musa added the second goal in added time.

The result leaves Nigeria top of Group C with 12 points, two ahead of closest challengers Cape Verde.

The Central African Republic and Liberia are third and fourth with four and three points respectively.

Only the group winners will advance to the third round where two-legged matches will be played to decide the five countries that will represent Africa at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Saturday’s win puts Nigeria in a pole position to secure the sole ticket to the third round.

But the Super Eagles will have to avoid defeat against Cape Verde on Tuesday in the final round of matches to confirm their progress.

Cape Verde, an island nation of 560,000 people that have never competed at the World Cup, kept their hopes alive by coming from behind to beat the Central African Republic 2-1 in Mindelo.

Julio Tavares netted early in the second half to cancel the lead Isaac Ngoma gave the visitors after 11 minutes, and Ianique ‘Stopira’ Tavares notched the 75th-minute winner.