Keshi snubs post-match briefing

Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi did not show up for the post-match media briefing after Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with South Africa.

Keshi stayed away probably to avoid backlash from the press after the draw led to the team’s elimination from the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations to be hosted by Equatorial Guinea.

In his absence, Bafana Bafana coach, Ephraim Shakes Mashaba had the floor and said his side deserved to win the game.

“It’s a question of luck; we should have beaten them at home in the 0-0 draw and this one as well,” Mashaba said.

“For them to come back in the last five minutes of the referee’s optional time shows that Nigeria have a little bit of extra luck against us. We planned to keep Nigeria at bay in the opening 10 or 20 minutes.

“We knew that it would happen, that they would break down. That’s why when we got the two goals, Nigeria did not know what to do because they were frustrated.

“The boys did everything until the referee’s optional time. We lost shape and the goalkeeper was obscured a little bit, that’s why they took a shot. We weren’t picking up (marking) one-on-one.”

Tokelo Rantie scored either side of half-time as 10-man South Africa came within two minutes of claiming their first ever win against Nigeria in a competitive match but Sone Aluko maintained Nigeria’s hoodoo over their opponent scoring two goals to snatch a point.

The draw capped a miserable campaign for the reigning AFCON champions, who had to keep one eye on the group’s other fixture in Khartoum, where Congo edged their hosts to claim the second spot.

Lineups

South Africa: Darren Keet, Sibusiso Khumalo, Anele Ngcongca, Erick Mathoho, Tefu Mashamaite, Dean Furman, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Oupa Manyisa, Mandla Masango (Andile Jali 71’), Kermit Erasmus (Moeketsi Sekola 39’), Tokelo Rantie.

Nigeria: Vincent Enyeama, Juwon Oshaniwa, Kenneth Omeruo (Aaron Samuel 75’), Azubuike Egwuekwe, Efe Ambrose, John Obi Mikel, Raheem Lawal (Sone Aluko 54’), Ogenyi Onazi, Ikechukwu Uche, Emmanuel Emmenike, Ahmed Musa