Nigeria yesterday defeated North Korea 3 – 1 in a pre-World Cup warm-up match played at the Makhulong Stadium, Johannesburg.

A goal from Yakubu Aiyegbeni in the first half and one each from Obinna Nsofor from the spot and Obafemi Martins in the second half sealed victory for the Nigerians, their first under coach Lars Lagerback.

A careless back pass by Elderson Echejile gave the Koreans the leeway to beat Enyeama for their lone goal.

The match was temporarily stopped early in the second half by the match commissioner when reports reached him that at least 20 people, including one policeman, were injured after a stampede broke out at the stadium.

BLOODY ••• A bleeding supporter reacts prior to the warm-up match between North Korea and Nigeria in Johannesburg, South Africa, yesterday. Thousands of soccer fans stampeded the gates outside the stadium. Several fans fell under the rush of people, many wearing Nigeria jerseys. The Makhulong Stadium in the Johannesburg suburb seats about 10,000 fans.

The match was suspended for about five minutes because of the reported injuries and safety of the fans in the overcrowded main stand where the fencing had been removed.

Police spokesman, Mveli Nhlapo, said the number of injuries had risen to 20, some of whom were taken to hospital. Precise figures were not immediately available.

The police officer sustained serious injuries when mostly Nigerian fans pushed the gate on to him in their effort to enter the 10,000-seater stadium to watch the match between the two World Cup participants.

“He was crushed by the gates as people stormed them, trying to get in,” a police official at the scene told Reuters.

Among those injured was at least one child, according to an eye witness account.

Hundreds of fans, holding what police said were photocopies of tickets, tried to break down the gates after the match had started and police had closed them.

Medics said they had transferred 13 people to hospital but some of them had only minor scrapes.
Some 500 fans remained in the area around the stadium after the stampede. Inside the stadium there were still many empty seats as the match was not sold out. The standard of the game was, however, not impressive.