By Jacob Ajom
Nigeria, on Sunday, fell 0-1 to host Guinea in a 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, played in Conakry.
The Guineans scored in the first half of the drab encounter watched by a scanty crowd at the Guinean national stadium.

The Nigerians whose departure for the encounter was overshadowed by the crisis in their home federation and the subsequent suspension of the country from international football by FIFA failed to live up to their reputation as the Guineans who defeated Ethiopia in the first round game ran rings round the Austin Eguavoen team.

By that victory, Guinea now leads the group with six maximum points while Nigeria is second with three points.

Meanwhile, Niger took a giant step in her qualification bid with a lone goal victory over African champions, Egypt.

After eliminating Nigeria from the African Nations Championships CHAN, Niger made a great impact Sunday afternoon by beating Egypt 1-0 at the Seyni Kountché Stadium in Niamey.

The Six times African champions were stunned by a Niger side determined to write its name in continental football. Bordeaux Moussa Maazou made the difference after a monumental error from Egyptian left back Mohamed Abdul Shafi to displace Essam El Hadari  at the 34th minute of the game. The goal settled the contest.

The result came as a huge boost to Niger that is rated 154 the in the FIFA monthly rankings.  The defeat means that Egpyt hot favourites in Group G of the qualifiers have only a point after two playing days. Sierra Leone and South Africa are the other members in the group.