Despair for host as Nigeria wins

16 September 2000


SYDNEY - Defending Olympic champions Nigeria eliminated hosts Australia from
the Sydney 2000 Olympic football tournament with a thrilling 3-2 Group A win
on Saturday.
Both skippers were sent off after a 21-man brawl early in the second half.
The defeat, Australia's second in two matches, means they cannot qualify for
the quarter-finals even if they win their last match against Honduras in
Sydney.

The match was marred by the sending-off of Celestine Babayaro, the Nigerian
captain, and his Australian counterpart Brett Emerton.

Both were both shown the red card by Brazilian referee Carlos Simon after
every player on the pitch apart from Australian goalkeeper Danny Milosevic
became involved in a brawl that began after an accidental collision between
Emerton and Julius Aghahowa in the 55th minute.

Within a minute, the match, which up to then had been fiercely competitive
but without a hint of malice, degenerated into farce, with players from both
sides squaring up to each other and chasing each other across the field.

Almost as soon as the brawl started it fizzled out, with Babayaro and
Emerton making the long walk off. Babayaro will miss at least Nigeria's last
group match against Italy in Adelaide on Tuesday while Emerton will miss
what will be Australia's last game in the competition against Honduras.

Apart from the brawl, the match was a thriller, as Nigeria raced into a 2-0
lead with goals from Pius Ikedia after 16 minutes and Aghahowa scoring the
second with an impudent angled chip over Milosevic in the 23rd minute.

Just when Nigeria appeared to be taking a grip on the match with Ikeda,
Aghahowa and Garba Lawal over-running the Australian midfield, the home side
gradually forced their way back into contention, inspired by some clever
work by Emerton.

Their pressure paid off in the 41st minute when a Hayden Foxe free-kick took
a deflection off the head of Azubuika Oliseh in the defensive wall to leave
goalkeeper Gregg Etafia stranded as the Australians celebrated their first
goal.

Four minutes later it was 2-2 after some good approach work which included a
clever flick from Mark Viduka that left Kasey Wehrman to score with a shot
off the post.

But Nigeria gradually took control of the game after the brawl and a lack of
concentration cost Australia dear. Defender Simon Colosimo's back-header to
Milosevic was weak enough to allow Victor Agali time to intercept the ball
and round Milosevic to make it 3-2 after 64 minutes.

Australia battled back fiercely and went close to scoring, but the champions
held on for victory.

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