The Super Eagles of Nigeria on Saturday advanced to the final qualifying rounds for the 2014 World Cup after they beat Malawi 2-0 in Calabar.
The Super Eagles finished top of Group F with 12 points from six matches, while Malawi finished on seven points.
Goals from Emmanuel Emenike and Victor Moses against Malawi ensured that Nigeria book their place into the playoff of the 2014 Fifa World Cup qualification for Africa.
Nigeria head coach, Stephen Keshi, left out Afcon hero, Sunday Mba after he failed to tie down a deal with French Ligue 2 outfit, CA Bastia last month.
Moses and Emenike made their first start together for the first time since their Afcon-winning feat in February alongside the pacy duo of Ahmed Musa and Nnamdi Oduamadi up front.
The African champions carved the Malawians open severally in the opening 45 minutes but their lack of cutting edge in the final third and superb saves from Charles Swini kept the score goalless.
Oduamadi, Musa and Emenike were all culprits in missing chance after chance.
But it was seconds into added time before the break that Emenike broke the deadlock.
The Fenerbahce man received a tailor-made pass from Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel and he made no mistake chipping it over Swini for Nigeria’s first.
On 51 minutes, after an interchange of passes, Musa set up Oduamadi who danced his way into the box and earned Nigeria a penalty kick after the referee adjudged he was upended.
Liverpool man, Moses, stepped up and tucked the ball past a hapless Swiini in goal for Malawi.
A minute later, Malawi were down to 10 men as Limbikani Mzava was show a second yellow card for harshly tackling Musa who was goal-bound.
The Super Eagles then took their foot off the pedal and played keepsake with the ball as time ticked away.
Nigeria controlled the game from the kick-off with Victor Moses, Mikel Obi, Ahmed Musa and Emenike on the attack from the onset.
CSKA Moscow striker Musa could have given the home team the lead as early as the third minute, but he dragged his shot from inside the box well off target.
Onazi’s two efforts from distance were also off target as Nigeria continued to pile on the pressure in search of the opening goal.
Malawi, on the other hand, were happy to soak in the pressure from the home team.
They kept their defensive shape and to their credit they were able to trouble the Nigerian defence on at least three occasions on the counter attack.
Though Keshi threw in Shola Ameobi and Uche Nwofor, it did not change the result as Nigeria booked passage into the playoff of the World Cup qualification alongside Ghana, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Algeria and Egypt.
Kenya host Namibia in the other game in this group where a win for the Harambee Stars would see them avoid finishing bottom of the group.
Only the 10 overall group winners will advance to the final round of play-offs, with the first legs played between 11-15 October and the return legs 15-19 November.
