GOAL! A last gasp equaliser for Nigeria! The pressure pays off as Uche Nwofor pounces onto a loose ball, and from an extremely tight angle the forward finds the back of the net.
90'
U. Nwofor has scored a goal for Nigeria! Assist by N. Oduamadi.
88'
Cynical foul from Scott Brown and Nigeria have a free kick. They play it short and look to build an attack from the back. Odemwingie does brilliantly to get to the byline and poke the ball into the box, but Nwofor’s header is just wide of the post. Pressure mounting on Scotland here.
87'
S. Brown gets yellow.
86'
Moses is causing Scotland some problems here and he wins a free kick on the left. It’s the Chelsea man who swings it in and Nigeria win a corner. Mulgrew clears the corner well but the ball is swung back in and Nwofor heads the ball narrowly over the bar. Good chance for Nigeria.
84'
S. Whittaker enters the game and replaces I. Anya.
83'
Moses cuts in from the left and drives towards the box. He’s too quick for the Scottish defenders but his shot flies high over the bar.
81'
Nice play from Boyd results in Anya finding a yard of space in the box, but he slices his volley out for a Nigeria goal kick.
79'
The number of substitutes have perhaps taken the sting out of this game, as both sides take it in turns to pass the ball between their defences before giving it away.
Minute
Description
77'
C. Forsyth enters the game and replaces A. Robertson.
75'
E. Ambrose enters the game and replaces O. Kunle.
Nigeria pass it around at the back but are struggling to find runners in the midfield. After a long spell of possession, they concede a free kick in the Scotland half and Strachan’s side look to attack.
70'
Robertson wins the ball and immediately bombs forward. Anya looks to feed him as he breaks through Nigeria’s back line but he can’t quite control it and the attack fizzles out. Great play from the left back though.
67'
Chris Martin comes close for Scotland! He finds himself with time and space after a good pass from Boyd, but his powerful shot is well saved by Ejide. Scotland maintain the pressure and Mulgrew’s cross is deflected out for a corner. It comes to nothing and Nigeria look to build an attack.
66'
N. Oduamadi enters the game and replaces M. Babatunde.
65'
Anya looks to be clean through on goal but he goes a fraction early and the linesman’s flag is rightly up.
64'
Victor Moses cuts in from the left and drives into the box. His pass forward is poor though and Scotland regain possession.
63'
G. Boyd enters the game and replaces J. Morrison.
62'
U. Nwofor enters the game and replaces Shola Ameobi.
V. Moses enters the game and replaces E. Uzoenyi.
60'
This is a good spell from Nigeria, but a strong tackle from Robertson down the right and a few poor passes ease the pressure for Scotland. Hutton bursts down the right and puts in a wonderful ball. Maloney is clear in the box and slots it in the net… but he’s a yard offside and the linesman’s flag is up.
56'
Igiebor drives towards the box powerfully and gets his shot away, but yet again McGregor gets down low and makes a fine save.
55'
P. Odemwingie enters the game and replaces M. Uchebo.
54'
N. Igiebor enters the game and replaces J. Obi.
52'
A. Egwuekwe is unfortunate, scores an own goal!
GOAL!! And Scotland take the lead! Hutton is in acres of space down the right. Instead of crossing, he drives towards the box and fires low across the face of the goal, with Egwuekew the unfortunate defender who hooks it into his own net.
50'
Yet again, Anya beats his man and races down the left. His crosses dangerously and Scotland win a corner. It comes to nothing but Scotland retain possession. Morrison finds himself with space on the outside of the Nigeria box but his pass to Maloney is poor.
48'
Smart link up play with Uzoenyi and Uchebo results in Ameobi finding the ball in the box and with space. He shoots low and hard but Alan McGregor makes a fantastic save.
47'
Nigeria start the second half as they did the first: with plenty of possession. Alan Hutton wins a free kick in his own half and eases the pressure.
46'
C. Martin enters the game and replaces S. Naismith.
45'
Uchebo drives forwards again and Brown’s tackle results in a Nigeria corner. Uzoenyi crosses in but it evades the head of Ameobi. Scotland give the ball away cheaply and Ameobi has time and space to score the Super Eagles’ second, but his shot goes wide of the upright… and that’s half time!
Scotland get us back under way at Craven Cottage!
41'
M. Uchebo has scored a goal for Nigeria! Assist by R. Gabriel.
GOAL!! Uchebo levels! He drives towards the box and unleashes a powerful shot that takes a wicked deflection off of Hanley. McGregor is wrong-footed and the ball spins past him. 1-1.
39'
Good spell from Scotland. Maloney feeds Naismith in the box with a smart cross but the striker’s header is weak. Shortly after, Anya drives into the box from the left but his final ball is poor.
37'
Robertson concedes a corner and Babatunde is on set-piece duty. He curls is in but Egwuekwe’s header veers wide of the post.
35'
From a Nigeria free kick, Uzoenyi manages to keep the ball in on the byline and whips a wonderful ball into the box. Shola Ameobi shows great strength to get his shot away on the volley but it flies straight into the arms of McGregor. Nice move from the Super Eagles.
32'
Anya races down the left flank and crosses the ball into a dangerous area. The ball is cleared for a corner. Maloney whips it in and the ball is in the back of the net… but Lee Probert blows his whistle. Ejide was under pressure from the surrounding Scottish players and the referee clearly thought he was being impeded. Close call.
30'
An intricate attacking move by Scotland results in Maloney picking up the ball just outside of the box. He gets underneath his shot though and it drifts over the bar for a Nigeria goal kick.
28'
Ameobi wriggles free by the corner flag but his cross is deflected out for a corner. The ball is whipped in and it eventually falls to Uzoenyi, whose ambitious shot rises high over the bar.
26'
Mulgrew hacks down Babatunde as he advanced on goal. It was a nice move building up to the foul with Elderson showing some lovely skill. The free kick is cleared and the danger passes.
22'
Nigeria win a free kick just outside of the box. Ameobi takes a step and bends his shot high and wide of McGregor’s right hand post.
20'
Morrison releases Scott Brown into space with a lovely flick around his man, but Brown can’t find the killer pass to release Naismith. Anya finds himself in acres of space on the left but, like Brown, his pass isn’t good enough and Nigeria have a goal kick.
18'
Lovely turn form Scott Brown in the middle of the park. He looks up and tries to release Hutton down the right but his pass is slightly overhit. Shortly after, Robertson gets forward well and his cross rebounds off of a Nigeria defender and the attack comes to nothing.
16'
Uchebo wins the ball in a promising area on the right but kicks it straight out for a Scotland goal kick. Good possession but little penetration from the Super Eagles.
13'
After the goal Scotland maintain the pressure and win a corner. Maloney swings it in but Greer gives the ball away and Nigeria can counter. The ball is cleared and Nigeria have a throw on the right.
10'
C. Mulgrew has scored a goal for Scotland! Assist by J. Morrison.
GOAL!! This looked initially like a lucky deflection but it’s a deft touch from Charlie Mulgrew. James Morrison takes a speculative shot which is heading wide, but Mulgrew deflects it with the outside of his boot. The ball spins into the corner beyond Ejide and Scotland take the lead!
7'
Suicide pass from Alan Hutton plays in the Nigeria forward, who bears down on goal but shoots straight into the arms of McGregor.
5'
Anya comes close for Scotland! He runs onto a lofted ball and slots it past the keeper, but it takes a deflection and rebounds off of the post. Bafflingly there is no corner given.
4'
Uzoenyi whips in the corner and it is deflected out for another one. James Morrison clears it well.
3'
The Super Eagles keep possession well, passing it between their defenders. Scotland win a free kick on the half way line which comes to nothing. Shortly after Nigeria win a corner on the left.
1'
Nigeria get us underway!
Hello and welcome to Goal’s live text commentary of Nigeria v Scotland. My name’s Mike Keane and I’ll be keeping you up to date with all of the action as it unfolds from Craven Cottage. Team news to follow shortly:
Scotland have made a significant improvement under Gordon Strachan, having won four of their last five games, and despite the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup finals in Brazil this summer, the Scots will want to build some momentum leading up to the European Championship qualifiers in September. Their opponents tonight have more immediate prospects to get excited about, with the Super Eagles preparing for a World Cup group that includes Iran, Bosnia and Herzegovina and international heavyweights Argentina.
45 minutes gone and it’s been an entertaining watch. Scotland have shown wonderful creativity going forward, with a number of eye catching passing moves and, of course, that sumptuous finish from Charlie Mulgrew. It was a fantastic, impulsive piece of play from the Scotsman, whose deft flick gave Gordon Strachan’s side the lead. Nigeria had decent spells of possession and will be grateful that Uchebo’s shot was deflected past Alan McGregor, but expect to see plenty of changes from the Super Eagles in the second half.
An encouraging performance from Gordon Strachan’s side ends in a draw after a late winner from Nwofor. It’s 6 games unbeaten for Strachan but Nigeria will feel the happier of the two teams after looking second best for large parts of the game. Mulgrew opened the scoring with a fantastic flick, but an unfortunate deflection from Uchebo’s shot levelled things before half time. An own goal from Egwuekwe came as a result of strong play from Hutton down the right, but Scotland couldn’t hang on to their lead. Nwofor’s clever finish from a tight angle earned the Super Eagles a draw
That’s all folks! Thanks for joining me for tonight’s game and have a good evening.
Commentary
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