The run of the current African champion, Nigeria at the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Brazil has been brought to at unfortunate end as they were defeated 2-0 by France in the fifth of the eight round of 16 matches.
Paul Pogba's header late in the game and another own goal by Joseph Yobo was all the French needed to the defeat one of the two African teams at this round of the competition and progress to the quarter final stage where they will face the winner between Germany and Algeria.
With Micheal Babatunde Micheal ruled out with a broken harm, Victor Moses returned to the Stephen Keshi's starting lineup as Yobo kept his place despite the return of Gdfrey Oboabona from injury.
The Super Eagles started the best of the two sides as they took the game to France early in the game, dominating possession before they had an Emmanuel Emenike goal disallowed for a marginal, though legitimate, offside call.
France’s charge was led from midfield, with youngster Pogba forcing a save of the highest order from Nigeria’s No.1 after making a characteristically forceful run through the middle. The Juventus man edged the battle with John Obi Mikel for much of the game.
France right-back Mathieu Debuchy breathed a sigh of relief having horribly sliced a clearance to Ahmed Musa, whose low cross was touched home by Emenike at the near post.
Enyeama made a remarkable reaction save after Pogba drove forward and smashed a 23rd-minute volley goalwards on the end of Mathieu Valbuena's return cross.
A drop in tempo around the half-hour mark clearly suited France, but Debuchy could not capitalise when a patient spell of possession sent a half-chance his way.
The Newcastle United defender was wasteful again in the 40th minute having been teed up by the impressive Valbuena.
A frantic close to the half matched its opening, with France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris far from convincing behind a speculative Emenike drive.
Peter Odemwingie - the match-winner in Nigeria's decisive Group F victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina - tested Lloris with a 65th-minute drive that bounced awkwardly, while tension in the French ranks was increasingly shown by sloppy errors in possession.
But Deschamps' men came agonisingly close to leading with 20 minutes left as Benzema exchanged passes with Giroud's replacement Antoine Griezmann.
The Real Madrid forward's effort was partially stopped by Enyeama and Moses was back to hack clear as the ball looped towards the net.
Benzema's low cross was cleared for Cabaye to thunder a rasping shot against the bar and Enyeama excelled himself again to keep out a Benzema header.
But he erred from Valbuena's resulting corner as France took the lead, making a later outstanding stop to thwart Griezmann seem particularly cruel.
Nigeria's defence became disjointed in the closing minutes and Yobo's own goal under pressure from Griezmann made the defender's 100th cap one to forget.
The last five times that France have taken part in the knockout stages of the World Cup, they have reached the semi-finals or better, Now have a Germany or Algeria to cross to continue the trend.
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