By Akinwale Kasali
A first half brace from Leicester City Football Club striker, Kelechi Iheanacho was all Coach Gernot Rohr side needed to take the pole position in Group C.
In a tension soaked encounter at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, fans thronged out in large numbers, defying the heavy rain to cheer their darling Super Eagles to a 2-0 victory over Liberia in the opening day of the FIFA 2022 World Cup Qualifiers slated for Qatar.
It took just 22 minutes for Iheanacho to give the National side the lead, adding the second few minutes before the end of the first half to send the vociferous crowd into wild jubilation.
The victory puts Nigeria on top position ahead of Central African Republic and their Tuesday opponent, Cape Verde, who a 1-1 draw in Bangui, CAR Capital on Wednesday.
Rohr started the game with Maduka Okoye in goal, Olaoluwa Aina, William Troost Ekong, Leon Balogun and Zaidu Sanusi in the defense.
Wilfred Ndidi, Joe Aribo, Alex Iwobi and Moses Simon started in the midfield, while Iheanacho and Napoli Football Club of Ital forward, Victor Osimhen were upfront.
After the 2-0 lead at the end of the interval, the Super Eagles piled more pressure on the Liberians to get the third goal, but the Liberians were resolute in defense to deny the more committed and ambitious Super Eagles.
Oghenekaro Etebo, Paul Onuachu, Samuel Kalu and Ahmed Musa came on in the second half for Iwobi, Iheanacho, Osimhen and Aribo, but the quartet couldn’t add to the goal tally.
The Super Eagles will jet out to Praia, Cape Verde Capital for the Tuesday encounter with the Blue Sharks.
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