Rio 2016: Nigeria 0-2 Germany - Nigeria loses semi-final match, to face Honduras in 3rd place match for Bronze medal

Germany has qualified for the finals of the football event at Rio 2016 after demolishing Nigeria 2-0 in the semi-final tonight August 17th.

The Germans scored in the 9th minute through Lukas Klostermann and pressured from then on as the Nigerian defensive line looked shaky and lacked some solidity, if not for the hard work of Troost Ekong at the backline, the African champions would have conceded more goals...

 

At half time, Germany led Nigeria 1-0  but Nigeria created a few chances in the final 10 minutes to give their opponents something to think about at the break.

The second half started with Samson Siasia not making any change and the team showed some liveliness and more tactical awareness after the break. But after some indecisive play by Nigeria's front line through out the second half, they were made to pay for their blushes by Nils Petersen in the 89th minute after a stunning counter attack that left only Troost Ekong as the defensive cover for Nigeria's goalkeeper. 

 

Nigeria's players looked distraught at the final whistle but will have some consolation in the fact that they will play Honduras in the third place match for a Bronze medal.

 

They didn’t have it all their own way but eventually Germany saw off Nigeria and will play Brazil at the Maracanã in a mouth-watering gold medal match two years on from that famous 7-1 thrashing in the 2014 World Cup.

Congratulations to our Nigerian players, they tried to get this far!