The FIFA Men’s World Cup is the greatest show on Earth, the pinnacle of football for every country around the world. The 2022 edition was the closest an African team came to winning the competition with Morocco reaching the semi-finals. After that showing, it seems like only a matter of time before there is an African champion. Although Nigeria didn’t qualify for last year’s tournament, they have a prestigious past in the competition. Much to the football world’s surprise, their finest hour came against Spain in 1998.
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Pre-game predictions
If supporters wanted to bet on this game now, they would have access to databases with statistics about the players and teams. These statistics could inform their betting decisions and influence the odds offered by bookmakers. For example, outright markets for those sports betting in Zambia currently have teams such as Brazil and France priced at odds +600, essentially joint favorites to win the 2026 World Cup.
However, in the lead-up to the 1998 World Cup, these statistics and opportunities for live betting were not as readily available. Spain was going through a barren period since the 60s while Nigeria had just won gold at the 1996 Olympics. This form wasn’t reflected in the odds and Spain still went into the game as a favorite amongst the fans and bookmakers.
90 Minutes of Ecstasy
This pre-match feeling couldn’t have been more wrong as Nigeria completed one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history. With a team full of legends like Okocha, Finidi, and Oliseh who all played at the highest level of world football in Europe, it was Nigeria’s best-ever chance of making their way through the tournament draw. The Spain squad was no pushover though with Real Madrid players, Fernando Hierro and Raúl, in the starting lineup.
A poor first half
The game itself started badly for the Africans and after twenty minutes they were behind. The aforementioned Madrid captain Hierro with the opening goal. Minutes later, Nigeria rallied and scored an equalizer but Spain went ahead once more when Raúl scored. This is when the real drama began.
Five minutes of ecstasy
A dramatic five minutes turned the game on its head and catapulted the Super Eagles to their most famous victory. First Garba Lawal grabbed an equalizer after some excellent teamwork and then it was the turn of Sunday Oliseh to complete the comeback. At the time the center midfielder was playing for Ajax and was one of the most talented on the world stage. He demonstrated this with a shot from outside of the area beating Andoni Zubizarreta from long range at his near post. The aging goalkeeper didn’t cover himself in glory but the Nigerian players and fans didn’t care and the stadium descended into delirium.
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The game finished with Nigeria victorious, an outcome very few bet on before kick-off. The match was one of the most dramatic at the tournament and was only usurped by the final in which France beat Brazil. The tournament has since become known for the Brazilian Ronaldo’s mysterious pre-final seizure but for Nigerians, it will always be a time for happy memories of their famous June victory.