Neither the Super Eagles nor the Indomitable Lions showed much hunger as they both strolled to a tame scoreless draw in the second of their two-match in Wiener Neustadt, outside Vienna on Tuesday.
Cameroon won the first game at the same venue by the odd goal on Friday, and the Eagles were expected to rally and get some pound of flesh or even create some sublime moments in Tuesday’s encounter.
It was not to be, with both teams guilty of showing minimal desire despite apposite weather in Austria.
Captain Ahmed Musa, back in the Nigeria Professional Football League with Kano Pillars, started this time and tried to imbue the game with some urgency, but the Cameroonians practically locked up their rear and hedges, impeded, elbowed and otherwise kept Belgium -based forward Paul Onuachu at by throughout the 45 minutes he stayed on the pitch.
Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, defender Chidozie Awaziem and midfielder Wilfred Ndidi showed some level of purpose and desire, but the absence of midfield workhorse Oghenekaro Etebo in encounter saw Ndidi overworked against a Cameroonian side with impressive physical presence.
Nouhu tested Okoye as early as the 5th minute as the Lions schemes forward through the left flank, and three minutes later, Onuachu’s shot from a delightful Musa pass was diverted for a corner kick.
In the 11th minute,Alex Iwobi cleared the ball from the goal-line with Okoye beaten and in the 14th minute, Brice Moumi Ngamaleu fumbled against Okoye when it appeared easier to score.