Shocker as less fancied Les Fauves tame Super Eagles in Qatar 2022 qualifier

The less fancied Central African Republic’s senior men football team, Les Fauves caused a major upset yesterday as they took all the three points off the Super Eagles in a Day 3 encounter of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 African qualifying game at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos. Karl Namnganda’s stoppage-time shocker, after a […]

The less fancied Central African Republic’s senior men football team, Les Fauves caused a major upset yesterday as they took all the three points off the Super Eagles in a Day 3 encounter of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 African qualifying game at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

Karl Namnganda’s stoppage-time shocker, after a defensive slip-up, took the Super Eagles and the sparse crowd, as well as scores of millions watching on television by surprise and handed the visitors all three points in a crucial World Cup qualifying tie.

Kelechi Iheanacho, Moses Simon, Victor Osimhen and Chidera Ejuke, and later on Taiwo Awoniyi, Ahmed Musa and Samuel Kalu, threw everything at the Les Fauves, but the visitors defended in numbers and goalkeeper Prince Samolah had an inspired game.

Table-toppers Nigeria were expected to make a mincemeat of the visitors, who were bottom of the pool before the game, but the Eagles failed to find a way past a rearguard of Captain Saint-cyr Ngam-Ngam, Peter Guinari, Flory Yangao, Sadock Ndobe and Melky Ndokomandji.

With Cape Verde’s Blue Sharks winning 2-1 away against Liberia in Monrovia, the Eagles retain their leadership of Group C, but cannot afford any slip-up as both Cape Verde and Central African Republic are now on four points, with Liberia shoved to bottom place with three.

The wounded Super Eagles and Les Fauves have another face-off on Sunday at the Stade Japoma de Douala in Cameroon.