Nigeria coach Eguavoen unhappy over Liberia treatment

Monday, 18 April 2011 14:32

Written by BBC Sports

Nigeria coach Austin Eguavoen slammed hosts Liberia after a 1-1 draw in the first leg of a 2011 All-Africa Games qualifier on Saturday.

The 1994 World Cup defender was furious at the treatment his squad received before the second round tie and the poor state of the pitch at a Monrovia stadium named after former Liberia president Samuel Doe.

"When we arrived in Liberia they left us stranded at the airport for three hours and transported us to our hotel in a bus without ventilation," he told reporters after the match.

"The hotel had no power, players slept on the floor, meals were served late and we had to play on a pitch that resembled a course for horse racing," fumed Eguavoen.

"My footballers were not able to express themselves on that surface and it will be a different story when we meet again in two weeks time," the coach promised Nigerians ahead of the Benin City return encounter.

Daniel Uchechi from English second-tier club Leicester City converted a penalty on 34 minutes for the visitors and fellow midfielder Samuel Johnson headed the equaliser midway through the second half.

Zimbabwe survived having two players sent off in stoppage time to force a 2-2 draw against Botswana after coming from behind twice in a Gaborone clash of southern Africa neighbours.

Scorer Denver Mukamba was dismissed for dissent by the Swazi referee after disputing a free kick and Archford Gutu got a harsh red card when he collided with goalkeeper Kabelo Dambe.

Visiting team manager Wellington Mpandare followed his two players into the dressing room prematurely after being sent off for disputing the other dismissals.

Botswana needed a boost after being eliminated from the 2012 London Olympic Games qualifying competition last weekend and Kgololelo Letseane provided it by

stabbing a rebound into the net with 14 minutes gone.

Simba Sithole levelled on the half-hour mark after a sweeping move carved open the defence only for Kgalabogwe Kgoyana to put the home team ahead again just three minutes later.

Zimbabwe equalised two minutes into the second half when a Botswana defender handled inside the box and Mukamba sent Dambe the wrong way with his penalty kick.

Eritrea, making a rare appearance at international level, hammered Kenya 4-1 in Asmara while Ghana received a bye into the final qualifying round when Benin withdrew.

The All-Africa Games football competition is restricted to under-23 footballers with qualifiers staged regionally and the eight-team finale is scheduled for September 3-18 in Mozambique.