adminon Wednesday.
Ahmed Musa struck the only goal nine minutes from time to send the Super Eagles into a two-point lead at the summit of Group F after four matches.
Malawi drew 0-0 at home to Namibia in the day’s other Group F qualifier in Blantyre.
Malawi were level on five points with Nigeria at the start of the day but lost ground after their third draw in four qualifiers.
Winless Kenya prop up the group on two points, while Namibia, on four points, remain in third.
Wednesday’s fixtures were brought forward due to Nigeria’s involvement in the Confederations Cup, which gets under way in Brazil on 15 June.
Sunday Mba, the unlikely hero at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations, told Fifa.com he also hopes to shine on the bigger stages that the World Cup and the Confederations Cup will provide.
Whether the Nigeria-based player makes a splash as big as he did at the Afcon earlier this year, Mba’s place in Nigerian football history is assured, and in fact his exploits in many ways made the continental success even more meaningful for the Super Eagles.
For the 2008 and 2010 Nations Cups, the star-studded Nigeria did not feature a single player from the local league.
However, coach Stephen Keshi broke the pattern in a major way when Mba and five other players were picked from the Nigeria domestic league for the 2013 tournament.
In the final in Johannesburg, South Africa, Mba was preferred to Real Betis ace Nosa Igiebor and went on to score the all-important only goal that sunk giant-killers Burkina Faso for Nigeria’s third Afcon title.
It was a determined effort and the moment needed the bravery of a player hungry for glory to put his body on the line in the 40th minute and give Nigeria their first continental trophy in 19 years.
Earlier in the event he also caused a sensation by firing the winner in the quarter-final against tournament favourites Côte d’Ivoire.
Such was the impact of Mba’s championship-defining exploits that the country’s basketball federation have now made it mandatory for the national team to line up players from their domestic championship with the president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation declaring: “We have seen what Sunday Mba did for the Super Eagles in the Nations Cup and it is a clear signal that if given the opportunity our talents at home would do very well also.” Mba, the former schoolboy international, is expected to find a new club Europe at some point as he has attracted suitors from Norway to Turkey.
“It’s great to see the interest that I have generated since the Nations Cup. But I believe I can do more especially with the national team,” said an upbeat Mba when asked about this summer’s programme.
“We have the World Cup qualifiers now and then soon after the Confederations Cup in Brazil. These are very important engagements and we want to do very well — particularly as we are now the African champions.” —Fifa.com
Online Reporter