National Teams
‘I still get messages for missed goal in 2010’ – Yakubu Aiyegbeni
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Former Nigeria forward, Yakubu Aiyegbeni says he still receives messages from fans after missing an open net chance against South Korea in 2010.
The Super Eagles missed the chance to become the first team to make out of the group stage of the FIFA World Cup with three points after playing out a 2-2 draw with South Korea in their last group game.
Aiyegbeni was fingered for the draw as he missed an open goal before scoring a penalty which ensured the match ended in a 2-2 draw at the 2010 World Cup as he opened up receiving threatening messages from fans to date.
“I still get messages from people. Different messages. I remember one was sending a message last week and he was like ‘How do you explain that goal missed to your daughter Kayla’,” Yakubu said on The Yak Podcast.
“I was like 13 to 14 years ago and people still think about that. I got a message today and someone was like ‘You are the worst Super Eagles striker ever’ because of that particular goal I missed. They never think about all the other goals I have scored.”
He opined that fans forgot games when he scored goals for the team referring to the 2002 World Cup Qualifiers.
“They never think about when I scored goals against Sudan when nobody thought we’d qualify for Korea/Japan 2002. We went to Sudan in 2001. Nobody ever thought we’d qualify because the weather there was crazy.
“If we get a draw or lose we are out. There I scored two goals and Julius Agahowa scored one and Jay Jay Okocha, ‘pa jay’ scored another one. We won 4-0. That gave us the ticket and we went to Korea/Japan in 2002.”
The game between Nigeria and South Korea was Yakubu’s last game for the team as he wasn’t given a second chance to redeem himself.
