BY OKEY NDIRIBE, Abuja

The expectation of Nigerian fans were high over the outcome of yesterday’s  African Nations Cup qualifier between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Syli Nationale of  Guinea. Many Nigerians predicted the Syli Stars would be beaten silly at the National Stadium, Abuja; some predicted the score-line as 3-0, while others said it would be 2-0.

The fans turned out in their thousands in response to the mobilization that was done by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF); the 60,000 capacity stadium was half-filled. Fans began arriving the stadium as early as 12 noon.

Members of the Supporters Club trooped into the stadium from several parts of the country. Security was very tight;  the officers and men of the Nigeria Police, Army and operatives of the  Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were all on duty at the stadium. The weather was hot as the sun blazed fiercely before the match began at 2pm.

When the match began, Nigerian fans cheered and hailed the Super Eagles every move while they booed the visitors. This lasted throughout the first half which ended without either side scoring.

However, the mood of the fans changed after the visiting Guinean team scored first.  Earlier on , Super Eagles strikers missed several scoring chances which did not go down well with the fans. The fans began cheering the visitors while they booed the Eagles.

However, when the Eagles equalized, the fans were swayed to their side once again. The fans became overjoyed once again when the eagles increased the tally to 2 while the Guineans still had one goal.

But the joy was short-lived as the second goal by the Traore Ibrahima became too much for the fans to bear; many of them began to troop out  of the stadium.

Some of them went berserk  after the match . Shock and disbelief was written on their faces;  their   hope that the  Super Eagles would  participate in the 2012 Africa Nations Cup to be co-hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea had evaporated.  Some of them  who could not control their emotions threw bottles at officials of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and policemen.  Others chanted “Siasia Must go”.