Nigeria curiosities

Nigeria is currently ranked 36th in the FIFA World Rankings. After playing other
colonies in unofficial games since the 1930s,[2] Nigeria played its first official game in October
1949, while still a British colony. The team played warm up games in England against various
amateur teams like Dulwich Hamlet, Bishop Auckland and South Liverpool. The team's first
major success was a gold medal in the 2nd All-Africa games, with 3rd place finishes in the 1976
and 1978 African Cup of Nations to follow. In 1980 the team had such players as Leyton
Orient's John Chiedozie and Tunji Banjo, and the Muda Lawal / Christian Chukwu-led Super
Eagles won the Cup for the first time in Lagos. In 1984 and 1988, Nigeria reached the Cup of
Nations final, losing both times to Cameroon. Three of the four African titles won by Cameroon
have been won by defeating Nigeria. Missing out to Cameroon on many occasions has created
an intense rivalry between both nations. Two notable occasions; narrowly losing out on
qualification for the 1990 World Cup and then the controversial final of the 2000 African Cup
of Nations where a goal scored by Victor Ikpeba during a penalty shoot out was disallowed by
the referee