Cairo, Feb 10 (BDNEWS) - Nigeria defeated Senegal 1-0 to win the third-place playoff of the African Nations Cup in Cairo Thursday.
Garba Lawal netted the winner in the 80th minute when he stabbed home from inside the box after Senegal goalkeeper Papa Mamadou Diouf could not get a hand to Utaka's cross from the right.
Both teams had clashed earlier in the competition with the Super Eagles winning 2-1.
For this third-place playoff match Nigeria fielded their top starting 11 while Senegal paraded a second-string team with the likes of Papa Bouba Diop and Henri Camara only coming on as second substitutes.
It was to the credit of the two teams that they managed to make a contest of what is usually a routine affair.
Nigeria skipper Austin 'Jay Jay', 32, was also winning his 74th cap and most probably his last after he announced before this tournament it will be his final international engagement with his country.
Both teams looked bright from kick-off.
BDNEWS/ 1200 hrs
