By Akinwale Kasali
The Super Eagles of Nigeria has cemented its dominance in the Afro-Caribbean Football Tournament (The Unity Cup) as a formidable force. The team retained its crown with a sure-footed display that flummoxed Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz at The Valley on Saturday Night.
United States of America based midfielder, Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi, proved his mettle as a diminutive defensive midfielder, netting a brace to cap a brilliant mini-tournament for himself.
Stand-in captain, Terem Moffi, scored in-between to ensure despair for the Reggae Boyz teeming crowd in south-east London.
Abdullahi was quickest to the ball as Jamaica’s goalkeeper, Coniah Boyce-Clarke, punched the ball following a long throw-in from the left by Kenneth Igboke in the 4th minute, which was pounced by Alhassan to give the Coach Eric Chelle-young Super Eagles Team the lead.
The early advantage, just as happened against Zimbabwe in the semi final four days earlier, spurred them to a commanding display that left the Reggae Boyz chasing shadows for large swathes of the encounter.
Coach Chelle made only one change to the team that upended Zimbabwe’s Warriors, bringing in Rafiu Durosinmi to start in place of Philip Otele, but the three-time African champions kept their telepathy and ran the park with flair and discipline.
In the 8th minute, Nigeria goalkeeper, Arthur Okonkwo was called to action for the first time, but he saved easily as Brown headed the ball after a cross by Kaheim Dixon.
In the 35th minute, Nigeria came close to increasing the tally, but Durosinmi’s shot was well-read by Clarke as the Eagles broke on the counter.
In the second half, Durosinmi’s header from a free-kick by Femi Azeez flew over the sticks, but a minute later, the Eagles were celebrating as Moffi headed a pin-point cross by Azeez beyond the flailing arms of Clarke.
Clarke saved smartly from a free-kick by Azeez on the edge of the box, but Nigeria refused to slow down and after he snatched the ball midway into Jamaica’s half of the field with one minute into added time, substitute Philip Otele found Abdullahi, whose angled shot proved too much for Clarke and sealed a handsome win for the Super Eagles.
With this victory, Nigeria has won the Unity Cup for the Fourth Time and Two in a row under Coach Chelle.
Next up for the Eagles is a friendly against Poland’s senior men national team at the PGE Narodowy Stadium in Warsaw, on Wednesday. 3rd June.
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