Four of the seven minutes stoppage time are done and Beyene comes close with an attempt which goes just over the bar for Ethiopia!
90' +2
J. Yobo enters the game and replaces M. Obi.
@ENGRJUSTMAN was right after all it seems: "Nigeria has all it takes to win, but KESHI'S TACTICAL ABILITY IS QUESTIONABLE. AHMED MUSA IS NEEDED."
90'
Penalty goal scored by V. Moses for Nigeria!
GAME SET AND MATCH! Hintsa guesses the right way but cannot quite get a touch on the ball, as Moses nestles the spot-kick into the bottom left corner.
88'
The penalty still hasn't been taken as the match officials are not satisfied with the midfielder's attire.. the measures taken to amend the situation? Tape on the back of his jersey!
85'
S. Bancha gets a second yellow card and is sent off.
PENALTY TO NIGERIA... AGAIN!!! The Ethiopian goalkeeper is sent off for wiping out Musa in the box, and Hintsa is forced to deputise between the sticks as his country have run out of substitutes to bring on!
82'
S. Bancha gets yellow.
Terrific save from Enyeama to deny Said from levelling the scores with a header in the box. Moments later, Ethiopia defend yet ANOTHER free kick and Sisay does wonderfully well to keep his team in with a shout following Mikel's delivery!
80'
Penalty goal scored by V. Moses for Nigeria!
As things stand, Nigeria will join Burkina Faso in qualifying from Group C, with Afcon holders Zambia on their way out of the competition!
79'
Moses is hauled down in the box and he steps up to take the resulting spot-kick....
The hopes of a nation rest on the forward's shoulders... AND, COOL AS YOU LIKE, HE WRONGFOOTS THE GOALKEEPER WITH A COMPOSED FINISH!!!
78'
A. Girma gets yellow.
PENALTY TO NIGERIA!!!!
77'
It's getting desperate for Nigeria now. Mba finds space on the edge of the box with the ball at his feet, but instead of looking for options either side of him, he shoots wayward. They are in urgent need of inspiration here...
Minute
Description
75'
B. Ideye enters the game and replaces E. Emenike.
74'
Girma is furious as he loses out in a duel with Mikel, who appeared to clip the midfielder first. Nonetheless, Moses' free kick whistles off the field of play for a goal kick.
71'
Ethiopia find solace down the right wing as three players in the box await the cross, but Enyeama is quick off his line to restore safety.
68'
B. Bogale enters the game and replaces Y. Saleh.
Mba responds to his booking by firing a strike, low and hard, at Sesay Basa, who smothers his attempt. Meanwhile, Musa sneaks into the box, although he is soon brushed off the ball by Elias.
66'
CLEARED OFF THE LINE! Omeruo has been an imposing figure for the Nigerians, who have brought Ahmed Musa on in the last few moments, and his header from a corner is glanced away in the nick of time!
65'
A. Musa enters the game and replaces I. Uche.
64'
MUCH BETTER! Moses goes on a mazy run into the Ethiopian danger area, but he is stopped in his tracks as he tries to hold the ball up. Positive signs for the Super Eagles!
63'
F. Ogude gets yellow.
62'
S. Mba gets yellow.
Nigeria are afforded another free kick, which Moses fizzes in deep at the back post, but Ogude's volley is charged down! Meanwhile, Sunday Mba is shown the yellow card by the referee.
60'
Mikel is penalised for a high boot on Hintsa. The Chelsea man has been one of the biggest under-performers of the evening and will need to buck up his ideas fairly quickly if Nigeria want to seal progression!
58'
Ethiopia saunter forward as Ibrahim is found down the right-hand side, but his cross is blocked and cleared. Keshi's troops try to exploit the Walya Antelopes on the break - eventually to no avail.
56'
Set pieces aren't exactly either team's forte, as they balloon their respective efforts into the stratosphere!
48'
The Ethiopians have definitely started the better side in these opening exchanges, but the breakthrough is still proving elusive. Nigeria, on the other hand, are struggling to find consistency in their passing.
46'
M. Teshome enters the game and replaces D. Estifanos.
F. Ibrahim enters the game and replaces O. Oukri.
45' +8
Nigeria win two successive corners, which are driven into the box, but Omeruo cannot guide his pair of free headers on target. The burly defender is asking serious questions of the Ethiopian rearguard it seems.
45' +5
@bosun_emmans seems to agree with me, as he writes: "What a woeful first half performance from the Super Eagles, they have to look out for the goal if they want to progress."
45'
Moses' Blues team-mate floats the ball into the box, but it's a defender's finish as Omeruo blasts high over the crossbar from close range!
The match is back under way for the second half, and Ethiopia have brought on Umed Ukuri to inject some much-needed pace in midfield!
44'
Ethiopia are furious as Emenike goes down a little theatrically, forcing them to defend in numbers again from a free kick on the edge of the box!
43'
Unfortunately for the Super Eagles, the Chelsea winger's attempt crashes against the wall and Ethiopia clear their lines.
42'
D. Debebe gets yellow.
Nigeria are awarded a free kick in a dangerous position central to goal... Mikel and Moses both stand over this set-piece with only one thing on their mind!
39'
Moses has grown into this match more and more. On this occasion, he slips down the left and forces the ball across the face of goal, but no attacker meets it to apply the predatory touch.
36'
CHANCE! Elderson meets Moses' the corner at the far post, but his header goes straight into the hands of the goalkeeper.
34'
Mikel launches a long ball over the top towards Emenike, who challenges the keeper well, forcing him to concede a corner. Good play from the Spartak man.
33'
As the match has worn on, Ethiopia have looked more and more a part of the contest. Nigeria have looked more incisive going forward, but their final ball has really let them down.
30'
Moses wins a free kick with a decent burst down the right, but the Nigerians just waste it. Inexplicable.
28'
This has been an end-to-end affair thus far, both sides have gone forward in fits and bursts, but neither have produced that moment of quality.
26'
Time for Nigeria to go on the offensive now. Moses spreads the ball out right, and Uche tees it up for Elderson, who blazes well over the bar. What a waste of a real opportunity!
24'
Another Ethiopian attack now. sending a through-ball into the area, but the attacker doesn't run for it and it dribbles out for a goal kick.
23'
Ethiopia swing in a cross from the left, but it evades everyone in the Nigeria box. Any touch could have taken it in.
21'
B. Elyas gets yellow.
15'
Things still a bit cagey here. Lots at stake, of course, which could be contributing to the rather tentative standard of play so far.
13'
At last a bit of attacking verve from Ethiopia, winning a corner, but the resulting header goes high and wide of the goal, leaving Enyeama completely untroubled.
10'
Ethiopia, meanwhile, are currently bottom, and will be going all out for a win here to reach the knockout stages.
8'
Group C, at the moment, could well have a shock on the cards. Zambia, defending champions, and Nigeria, both trial Burkina Faso in the standings at this stage.
6'
Emenike struck an excellent goal against Zambia in Nigeria's last encounter, and again here he looks to be their main goal threat, running the channels and putting the Ethiopia back line under pressure.
4'
It's been a strange tournament so far - no side has really staked a claim to be potential winners, with most of the Groups - such as this - heading into the final round of fixtures.
2'
Nigeria have started much the stronger in the opening stages here. Moses fires a free-kick in on goal, which takes a nick off of the edge of the wall, but the ball rolls into the arms of the goalkeeper.
1'
We are underway!
Good afternoon and welcome to Goal.com's live coverage of Ethiopia v Nigeria from the Africa Cup of Nations!
It's a complicated situation here for Nigeria, with a win required, depending on the result in the Zambia- Burkina Faso match, if they are to reach the next round.
The first half comes to a closure and it ends goalless between the two Group C rivals. Send me your tweets on the match via Twitter @livmc - Livio Caferoglu here to guide you through the second period!
Here is a half-time view from @MIKassim, who has given Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi food for thought: "I think he should introduce ahmed musa. Nigeria can get a goal."
The full-time whistle is blown and Nigeria have qualified from Group C following a 2-0 win against Ethiopia! Sesay Basa's red card may have been a huge turning point, but some of the pressure will have been allayed on the Super Eagles who are now set to face Cote d'Ivoire in the first knockout stage. I've been Livio Caferoglu and it's goodbye from me!
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