Eagles consolidate leadership, peck Algeria thrice in Uyo

Super Eagles  and Chelsea forward Victor Moses was on top of his game in yesterday’s 2018 World Cup qualifier  at the  Godswill Akpabio stadium in Uyo as he handed the mouthy Algerians two of the three goals the Gernot Rohr-tutored side put past the north Africans. After a rather shaky start, the Eagles took the game to their opponents and they were rewarded after 25 minutes when the lively Moses was released by his fellow Chelsea mate Mikel Obi to fire past Algeria goalkeeper M’Bolhi.

He certainly made up for his big miss in the seventh minute. He came close to opening scores but his final shot was off target after he dashed into the box. With three minutes left in the first half, the Eagles doubled their score through a hesitant Mikel Obi who thought he    was     off-side.  The referee did not blow as the Eagles captain was put on side by an Algerian defender. However, the visitors had two clear-cut chances to at least pull a goal back. First, Nabil Bentaleb threw away a sitter from inside the Nigeria box when the easier thing was for him to score. And minutes later, Riyad Mahrez came close to getting on the score sheet but his shot from inside missed the target. The Algerians continued to mount pressure with the Eagles looking tired and playing more defensively now. They were deservedly rewarded in the 67th minute when Bentaleb fired a canon from about 25 metres and goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi had no answer to it. The goal fired up the Algerians who continued to pile on more pressure for an equaliser. Mikel was then pulled out for Wilfred Ndidi and then Ahmed Musa who had earlier replaced Alex Iwobi switched the pressure to the visitors with his flank runs and in-swingers. It paid off when one of such crosses found Moses who took his time to tuck the ball past goalkeeper M’bolhi to bring his tally to two and three for the Eagles who consolidated their position at the top of  the World Cup qualifying group with six points from two matches. Cameroon are second on two points after they struggled to a 1-1 with visiting Zambia who are now third and Algeria bottom on a point each.