Brought down by Tinashe Nengomasha, who was unable to cope with the midfielder's trickery in the box, earned the Nigerians a penalty that was subsequently converted by Yakubu Ayegbeni.
Zimbabwe should have taken the lead as early as the third minute when Tinashe Nengomasha, recently named Footballer of the Year in South Africa, had a goal inexplicably ruled out by the referee.