2018 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER: ZAMBIA 0 NIGERIA 2 LIVE

Welcome to the LIVE commentary of this 2018 World Cup qualifier between hosts Zambia and Nigeria in Ndola this afternoon.
The other match in this qualifying group – Algeria vs Cameroon – will be played later tonight in Blida.

Nigeria have already named their starting line-up with Leicester City forward Ahmed Musa and Musa Mohammed dropped to the bench. Moses Simon will start in place of Ahmed, while Wilfred Ndidi begins ahead of Musa.

Olympiacos striker Brown Ideye, Ogenyi Onazi, Mikel Obi and Kenneth Omeruo are the survivors from the last time both teams clashed at AFCON 2013in South Africa and it ended 1-1

Poor defending has gifted Super Eagles two away goals, but there is still 45 minutes to play in the second half

45 – Halftime – Zambia 0 Nigeria

42 – GOAL! Nigeria score again, a super solo goal by Kelechi Iheanacho, he rounds up Mweene and fires from the near post

39 – Close for Zambia to draw level as powerful header by Kalaba is saved at point blank range by Carl Ikeme.  Kalaba is then booked for diving after he falls on his own inside the box

37 – Nigeria are bossing the game now and they keep pouring forward

34 – Iheanacho comes close to doubling Nigeria’s lead but his shot from outside the box misses the mark

33 – GOAL! Nigeria score through Iwobi, who fires home from inside the box after a long ball by Wilfred Ndidi is headed intohis path, defensive mistake by Zambia yet again

30 – Half an hour played and zambia skipper Kalaba shoots at goal, but it misses

27 – Tembo is brilliantly tackled by Mikel right inside the box, great tackle by the Chelsea man

26 – Big miss by Moses Simon who cashed in on a mistake by Chama, but he blasts his shot from inside the box into the stands

25 – It is still Zambia 0 Nigeria 0

23 – Fwayo shoots hard and powerful but Ikeme holds the shot firmly

21 – Sunzu fouls Ideye and moments later, Mikel fouls a Zambia player

20 – Another Nigeria attack breaks down

19 – Zambia piling on the pressure and get another corner

18 – Zambia dangerous and get a corner after Kalaba’s shot at goal is blocked for a corner

17 – Foul by Iheanacho against Zambia’s Sinkala, it’s a physical contest

15 – Ideye is offside, it is a close call after he is released by Iwobi, but even then the Olympiacos fluffs his lines with only goalkeeper Mweene to beat

13 – The physical duel between Sunzu and Ideye is developing

11 – Zambia shoot at goal but easy for goalkeeper Ikeme

9 – Both teams trying hard to really assert themselves in this game

7 – Nigeria are taking the game to their hosts as Nigeria win another corner, dangerous set-piece is finally cleared out of danger by Zambia

5 – Sunzu foul against Ideye, free kick and from that chance, corner for Nigeria

2 – Mistake by Chama in the Zambia defence, but Ideye cannot cash on it and almost immediately Nigeria goalie Ikeme concedes a corner from a Tembo cross

1 – Kick-off by Nigeria, away we go!

Good crowd at the 49,000-capacity Levy Mwanawasa, almost filled to capacity

The national anthems, first Nigeria the away team, then that of Zambia…

Pre-match formalities going on with Zambian President and his black cowboy hat…

The two teams step out, Nigeria in all-white and green trimmings, Zambia in all-green, as the FIFA anthem rings out

Egyptian ref Gehad Grisha was also in charge when both teams clashed in South Africa three years ago

Zambia starting XI vs Nigeria: Kennedy Mweene,  Kabaso Chongo, Stopilla Sunzu, Adrian Chama, Fackson Kapumbu – Nathan Sinkala, Fwayo Tembo, Chisamba Lungu, Rainford Kalaba (skipper) – Collins Mbesuma, Winston Kalengo

Zambian President Edgar Lungu has just arrived the match venue, he looks very confident his country will carry the day

They have just completed their warm-up and we are less than 20 minutes away from the big kick-off

The Super Eagles have never won in Zambia and their 100% Europe-based starting XI will have to grapple with the boiling heat in Ndola this afternoon

Nigeria starting XI (4-2-3-1): Carl Ikeme – Wilfred Ndidi, Elderson Echiejile, Kenneth Omeruo, William Troost-Ekong – Ogenyi Onazi, Mikel Obi (captain) – Moses Simon, Alex Iwobi, Kelechi Iheanacho – Brown Ideye