A feeling of anger and dejection hit Nigerians Wednesday as their national team failed to clinch a place in the African Nations Cup final after losing to Tunisia on penalties.
Tunisia won 5-3 in the penalty shootout after the match in Tunis ended 1-1 after extra-time.
"Right from the beginning of today's game, I knew that we were not going to advance beyond the semi-finals stage because our players were not playing as if they had anything at stake," said Yinka Idris, a 26-year-old mechanic.
"How can we lose at this stage of the competition? The Super Eagles raised the hopes of most Nigerians, then dashed them. We need to inject new blood into the team," said Chika Nwachukwu, 31, a football fan.
In the run-down Obalende district in central Lagos, some motor-taxi operators said they were calling it a day because they were so disappointed their nation would not have the chance to win their third African Nations Cup.
But on the streets of Lagos, Nigeria's economic capital and the most populous urban centre in the country, traffic which was light during the match started to regain its bustle after the match.
"What do you want me to do? Nigeria has lost the opportunity to win the African Cup of Nations. I just have to resume my business so that I do not lose both ways," said Wasiu Bamidele, a 28-year-old bus driver.
A cleric, the Reverend Joshua Ipaye, was philosophical in his reaction to Nigeria's loss to Tunisia, when he said that "at God's appointed time, Nigeria will win the cup again".
Nigeria won the Cup in 1980 and 1994.