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The World Cup has seen many goal-scoring chances missed by football players and some Nigerian players have fallen into these categories of great misses.
The Nigerian national team have seen many players represent them in one of the biggest stages in the world which is the World Cup.
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07:00 - 10.07.2023
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Despite being reckoned with at the world level, there have been some massive scoring chances missed by Nigerian players in previous World Cup years.
We at Pulse Sports have made a list of some of the big chances missed by Nigerian players when representing the Super Eagles in different years.
Nigerian players and their missed big chances at the World Cup
1. Rashidi Yekini (1994 World Cup against Italy)
Rashidi Yekini is one of Nigeria's biggest players during the 90s who plays as a striker for the Super Eagles.
The Super Eagles forward was a goal-poacher during his playing days and led Nigeria's attack in the 1994 World Cup.
During the game against Italy in 1994 he missed a big chance that would have given the Super Eagles the lead.
He was put through on goal but was unable to put the ball past the goalkeeper as the ball bounces off him for a corner kick.
The Super Eagles later lost the game 2-1 after extra time and were eliminated from the World Cup.
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2. Victor Ikpeba (1998 World Cup against Bulgaria)
Another Nigerian star who missed a big chance at the World Cup is Victor Ikpeba who plays behind the striker.
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Ikpeba was one of the superstars who went to the 1998 World Cup hosted in France and was instrumental in their qualification from the group stage.
During the game against Bulgaria, Ipeba saw a free header which he put wide off the goalpost.
The forward received a very good cross from the flank and rose high to meet the cross but was unable to direct it goalwards.
Nigeria later went on to win the game 1-0 and put themselves in a good position to qualify for the next round.
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3. Nwankwo Kanu (1998 World Cup against Denmark)
Kanu was one of the youngest to play for Nigeria in the 1998 World Cup after impressing in the Olympic 96 tournament.
The Olympic gold medalist missed a big chance to get a goal back for the Super Eagles after going two goals down against Denmark.
Jay Jay Okocha who was bossing the midfield for Nigeria played a defence-splitting pass towards Kanu.
The forward tried to go around the goalkeeper but Schmeichel was aware of his move as he grasped the ball from the feet of Kanu.
The Super Eagles later went on to lose the game 4-1 and also got eliminated from the tournament.
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4. Yakubu Aiyegbeni (2010 World Cup against South Korea)
One of the greatest misses in Nigeria's history and also the World Cup was Yakubu Aiyegbeni’s missed chance against South Korea in 2010.
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The Nigerian striker was the Super Eagles' point man at the 2010 World Cup and was in action against South Korea.
A cross was sent into the box by Super Eagles player Ayila which went straight to the feet of Yakubu Aiyegbeni.
However, the forward was unable to adjust his feet as he put the ball wide, just a few yards off the goalpost.
The Super Eagles went on to draw the game 2-2 and finished in fourth position leading to their elimination from the tournament.
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5. Odion Ighalo (2018 World Cup against Argentina)
Ighalo was another Super Eagles forward whose miss also ranks as one of the biggest misses in the World Cup.
The Super Eagles striker led the attack for his team against Argentina in the 2018 World Cup group stage.
During the game, Ighalo had the chance to put Nigeria ahead against Argentina when the scoreline was 1-1.
Ahmed Musa was given a pass on the flank and then put the ball straight into the box for the onrushing Ighalo.
However, the ball ricocheted off an Argentine defender and the ball fell at the feet of Ighalo who did not think of controlling the ball before hitting it but instead, he side-footed the ball wide off the goalpost.
The Super Eagles lost the game 2-1 and also failed to qualify from the group stage into the round of 16.
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