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Nigeria shut Namibia out of Nations Cup finals

© Reuters Limited 2001

WINDHOEK, June 16 (Reuters) - Nigeria scored two late breakaway goals on Saturday to deny Namibia any remote chance they had of qualifying for the African Nations Cup finals next year.

Namibia had a second-half penalty saved and missed a myriad of chances as they sought to score an unlikely four-goal win over the makeshift Nigerian side in order to claim the second qualifying berth in group one. Instead Zambia, who won 1-0 away at Madagascar earlier in the day, will go through with Nigeria from the group to the 16-team finals in Mali in January. The attacking Namibian side gave a strong home crowd hope of an unlikely win but were poor with their finishing touch.

Midfielder Johannes Hindjou had a penalty saved by Nigerian's substitute goalkeeper Murphy Akanji 15 minutes from time. Israeli-based striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni caught the home side on the counter-attack in the last minute of the game and Ishola Shaibu added a second goal in similar circumstances soon after. Nigeria, who ended the group undefeated, used Saturday's game to test several untried players.

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