Nigeria’s Super Eagles were one win away from qualifying for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) following a commanding performance in the first half hour of their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Sierra Leone’s Leone Stars but the unheralded visitors fought back to draw the thriller 4-4.
The three-time African champions put up a devastating first half display in which they scored four times in the opening 30 minutes to kill off any hopes the visitors had to upset the apple cart.
Alex Iwobi opened the scoring for the hosts in the fourth minute.
Victor Osimhen made it 2-0 for Nigeria on 21 minutes, slotting in a low cross with the cold-bloodedness of a veteran from a tight angle.
Osimhem was to be substituted in the second half with a serious-looking injury but not before Iwobi completed his brace with a pearler of a strike from outside the box to make it 3-0.
Samuel Chukwueze scored an extraordinary goal on the half hour to make it 4-0 but the drama of the game was yet to commence at an empty Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City.
When Kwame Quee netted for the visitors four minutes before the break, it appeared to be nothing more than scant consolation but the Leone Stars would pull off one of the most remarkable comebacks ever seen in world football with a stirring second half performance for the ages.
Al-Hadji Kamara headed in to half the deficit on 72 minutes before Mustapha Bundu made it 4-3 to set the home nerves jangling with a little over nine minutes remaining.
The Sierra Leonians astonishingly levelled matters through Kamara, his second on the night with four minutes left on the clock with the home bench staring on in shock and consternation.
There would be no more scoring but the visitors celebrated furiously while their storied hosts were left to ponder what might have been.
The two sides meet again in the reverse fixture in Freetown in four days time and many neutrals will be licking their lips in anticipation of another classic playing out.
Nigeria still leads group L of AFCON 2021 qualifying with seven points from three games while Sierra Leone are third with two points from the same number of games.
