How Walyas were defeated

Ethiopia's national team looked likely to register a famous win against Nigeria in Addis Ababa on Sunday.

But their intentions were dimmed by a side that looked more determined without forgetting poor officiating that derailed them.

With Nigeria securing a 2-1 win in a venue they fought very hard for their win, supersport.com looks at how they won and how the hosts lost the match.

Onazi Ogenyi

Well, he wasn't given all the attention in the world by Walya Antelopes but he was the man that stringed every pass, orchestrated every move and looked the most unsung on the pitch but he was arguably the man of the match and highlighted his importance on the team.

Emmanuel Emenike

They say in football, at times wins boils down to individual brilliance and not team sport. Well, this was the moment for the Nigerian International and going for glory he did in a manner that was beneficial to his side. A perfect game changer, a reason for Nigeria to believe their World Cup qualification is very possible.

Adane Girma substitution

Everything looked good for Ethiopia until the coach decided to relegate veteran Adane Girma to the bench. Possibly one of the mistakes they did in that match. It didn't work as he planned and his idea came back to haunt them as they realized his value when off the pitch.

Experience

Ethiopia might have looked or were better than the African champions. But at the end of the day, experience carried it. The ability to use past matches and especially competitive ones to gauge and act upon situations worked for Nigeria. Exposure had made her resilient. It was all about what needed to be done, how, when and at what time and Emmanuel Emenike executed it.

Referee

The referee was clearly in the spotlight for wrong reasons. He disallowed an Ethiopian goal that has now forced the hosts to lodge an appeal. Either way, his decision had a bearing on the match but the referee's decision even when wrong is final and reversing it has been the hardest thing to try and do.