BBC Sportfootball

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Related BBC sites

Page last updated at 20:42 GMT, Wednesday, 3 March 2010

Nigeria beat DR Congo, Ghana defeated by Bosnia

Ghana's Matthew Amoah and Emir Spahic (right) of Bosnia
Ghana's Matthew Amoah is challenged by Emir Spahic (right) of Bosnia

Nigeria got their World Cup preparation underway with an impressive 5-2 friendly win over DR Congo.

The Super Eagles, who were playing with mostly home-based players, won the game in Abuja with two goals each from Obina Nsofor and Osas Idehen.

With new coach Lars Lagerback watching, the home side raced into the lead with Peter Utaka scoring on 11 minutes.

Osas Idehen extended Nigeria's lead in the 28th minutes before Nsofor added a third three minutes later.

Mbenza Bedi took advantage of a defensive slip up to pull one back for the Simbas but Nsofor restored the gap ten minutes after the break.

Idehen was at hand to tap in from close range before Bedi got his second of the game.

Meanwhile, World Cup-bound Ghana were beaten 2-1 by Bosnia in their friendly in Sarajevo.

The Black Stars took the lead through Sulley Muntari on 22 minutes with a fine 20-yard strike before by Vedad Ibisevic and Miralem Pjanic sealed the win for the home side.

Elsewhere, an early goal from Marko Pantelic and second-half strikes by substitutes Zdravko Kuzmanovic and Dusko Tosic gave Serbia a 3-0 win over fellow World Cup qualifier Algeria.

Ajax striker Pantelic opened the scoring in the 15th minute after Algeria goalkeeper Lounes Gaouaoui came for a cross and missed it.

Kuzmanovic doubled his team's lead in the 56th from close range after Algeria's defence failed to clear a free kick.

Tosic capped his team's fine performance in the 65th with the third goal from a quick counter-attack.

Serbia, which won its European qualifying group to secure a place at the World Cup in South Africa for the first time, will play Ghana, Germany and Australia in the group stage.

Algeria faces England, the United States and Slovenia.



Print Sponsor


see also
Halilhodzic sacked by Ivory Coast
28 Feb 10 |  African
Pressure mounts on Halilhodzic
23 Feb 10 |  African
Ivory Coast out of the Africa Cup
25 Jan 10 |  Sport
Elephants coach fears for Drogba
01 Jan 10 |  African
Romaric dropped by Ivory Coast
23 Dec 09 |  African
Brazil face tough World Cup group
04 Dec 09 |  World Cup 2010
Ivorians deny Halilhodzic rumours
25 Jun 09 |  African


related bbc links:

related internet links:
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites