Africa Nations Cup: Nigeria 1, Ghana 0Garba Lawal sent Nigeria into the last four of the African Nations Cup yesterday when his stunning long-range strike late in the game ended Ghana's resistance and gave the Super Eagles a 1-0 quarter-final win.
The Dutch-based midfielder met a weak Ghana clearance with a volley from 30 metres in the 80th minute to win the tie with possibly the best goal of the tournament.
The ball rocketed into the corner just as the game appeared to be heading for extra time.
Nigeria had created a hatful of chances but were kept at bay by valiant defending, some top-class goalkeeping from Sammy Adjei and their own poor finishing.
Ghana included six locally-based players while Nigeria's starting line-up boasted eleven foreign-based professionals, many of them playing for major European clubs.
Adjei, who plays in Accra for Hearts of Oak, made excellent saves to turn away powerful drives from Finidi George and Sunny Oliseh in the first half.
Nigeria also wasted an excellent chance on the stroke of halftime when a quickly-taken free kick caught out Ghana's defence but Julius Aghahowa headed over from close range after Joseph Yobo had crossed from the byline.
Ghana's best chance fell to Isaac Boakye, who scored the two late goals which sank Burkina Faso on Tuesday and sent the Black Stars through, in the 25th minute.
NIGERIA: Shorunmo; Yobo, West, Okoronkwo, Udeze, Oliseh, Okocha, George, Lawal, Aghahowa, Kanu.
GHANA: Adjei; Mireku, 19-Kofi Amponsah, Mensah, Painstill, Owusu- Ansah, Razak Ibrahim, Amoako, Kuffour, Boateng, Boakye.
Referee: M Guezzaz (Morocco).
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