Ethiopia faced a 1-2 defeat against Nigeria in the first leg of the play-off matches for the Brazil 2014 World Cup. Despite their performance, the Ethiopians did not manage to secure a victory against the experienced Nigerian team. Ethiopia had several opportunities during the match, even scoring in the first half, but the goal was not validated.
Returning from the halftime break, Ethiopia opened the scoring in the 57th minute through Assefa. However, Nigeria, being more experienced and accustomed to such situations, quickly equalized with a goal from Emenike. The Super Eagles were later awarded a penalty, which was successfully converted by Emenike.
The defeat in Addis Ababa marked the end of Ethiopia’s over five years of invincibility at home. Given the recent history of encounters between Ethiopia and Nigeria, with Nigeria winning three times and a draw in four matches since 2011, it appears challenging for Ethiopia to qualify for the World Cup.
However, football is unpredictable, and the return match in Nigeria might bring surprises. Ethiopians still have hope despite the psychological advantage gained by Nigeria in the first leg. The final outcome will be decided in the return match in November.
