In the match against France, the team played good, held their own, against the 1998 World Cup champions. Both teams had chances to score in the first and greater part of second halfs but couldn't.
The Nigerian goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, who is also the number one keeper at the French Ligue 1 clubside - FC Lille, made amazing saves to deny their opponents.
Nigeria first scored through their energetic and fast paced striker, Emmanuel Emenike, but it was ruled off-side.
Enyeama made outstanding saves, particularly his blocking of the thunderous strike from Paul Pogba, the Juventus midfielder.
During the second part of the second half, the French boys increased their attacks and it was one of them that resulted in a goal, when Enyeama pushed a cross away with one hand instead of going for a punch.
Pogba who was in a very good position, headed it into the net at the 79th minute of play. Hugo Lloris, the French and Tottenham goalkeeper made a number of saves to deny Nigeria scoring also.
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| Coach Stephen Keshi |
In the injury time, on the 91 minute precisly, the Nigeria captain Joseph Yobo, inadvetently scored an own goal from a low cross, from Mathieu Valbuena. Read also: melvinsports.blogspot.com
It was a mixed blessing day for Joseph Yobo, the match was his 100th appearance for the Super Eagles, which is a record, nobody has ever played for the team that long.
The match was also another record breaking for Yobo, as it was his tenth appearance for the team in three World Cups - 2002, 2010 and 2014.
He has now surpass Jay Jay Okocha's nine appearances.
The coach Stephen Keshi, tweeted in his account about his resignation,
''Friends, it has been a good run and I have enjoyed every moment. It's been an honour, coaching the Super Eagles. It is however time to bow out.''
The coach whose contract with the Nigeria Football Federation will expire by the end of this month, said that, he has not received offer for an extention of his contract. He was appointed in 2011to replace Samson Siasia.
''I'm now going to spend time with my family. I haven't seen them in a long time, so it's time to take a break,'' Keshi said.
I think that it will be a big mistake on the part of Nigeria, to allow him to go, without extending his contract. He has been very outstanding in his job.
The man rebuild the national team by dropping most of the older and established players and brought in talented yet inexperience players, gave confidence in themselves, took them to the African Cup of Nations, where everybody were crying, against taking inexperienced players to such a big tournament.
But he proved to everyone that he knew what he was doing, by lifting the trophy and making every Nigerian proud again, after winning the Cup only twice before, and coming very close on many occassions only to fail.
Now the whole fooballing world, especially Africa have taken notice of his managerial skills. In 2006, he qualified Togo for the World Cup in Germany but was dropped for a German man. He also subsequently qualified Mali to an African Cup of Nations.
Even few months to Brazil 2014, he admitted the rumours that a number of African countries want to employ him as their chief coach, among them South Africa. Read also: melvinsports.blogspot.com
There is unconfirmed rumour, that the coach has agreed a two year deal to coach South Africa. I will say it once again, that Nigeria will be making a big mistake, if they do not renew his contract.
It is a known fact, that Keshi had an uneasy relationship with the football federation, because of a few disagreements. The Federation officials, should not allow personal egos to stop the progress, NFF President Maigari and coach Keshi has brought to Super Eagles.
Stephen Keshi, is very efficient as a coach and far cheaper to employ, than the massive amount NFF paid to foreign coaches, with exception of three that won the nation international titles - Otto Glory (ACN 1980), Clemence Westerhoff (ACN 1994) and Jo Bonferere (Olympic 1996).
The rest of the foreign coaches were waisted funds. They achieved nothing, inspite of massive salaries they were paid. The worst of them all, I think without any equivocations was the German Berti Voghts.
We will keep on watching to see if this latest resignation is going to be real, because this is not the first time Keshi is resigning. He resigned, immediately after winning the African Cup of Nations 2013, only to renounce it after the intervention of the Sports Minister Abdulahi.
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