By Akinwale Kasali
The Super Eagles of Nigeria squandered a two goal lead in the last 15 minutes of the encounter against Andriy Shevchenko’s-coached Yellow-Blue Ukrainian team, to settle for a 2-2 draw with their host.
Debutant, Ayodele Aribo and Victor Osimhen had given the Super Eagles the lead in the first 25 minutes of the match after a neat exchange of passes and dribbles by Girondins Bordeaux midfielder, Samuel Kalu and Everton Football Club player, Alex Iwobi, who set up Ayodele-Aribo to score the first goal of the match within the first three minutes of the match.
Osimhen doubled the lead from the penalty spot after a rough tackle on Kalu in the 18-yard box to score his first senior international goal.
The coach-Gernot Rohr tutored team squandered flurry of chances in the first half to have extended the lead beyond the Eastern European Country reach, but Samuel Chukwueze, Kalu and Iwobi were wasteful.
Oleksander Lubhin, the Ukrainian goalkeeper, kept his team on the match, making several saves to deny the Super Eagles their third goal.
Rohr had started the game with Francis Uzoho, Ola Aina, William Troost Ekong, Olwasemilore Ajayi and Jamilu Collins in the defense.
Oghenekaro Etebo, Ayodele-Aribo, Alex Iwobi, Samuel Chukwueze, Samuel Kalu and Osimhen completed the starting 11.
In the 75th minute, Rohr replaced Iwobi, Chukwueze and Kalu with Moses Simon, Esiti and Bonaventure.
The Ukrainians capitalised on this, scoring two goals within two minutes.
Oleksander Zinchenko and Yaremachkuk scored two quick goals to level the score line thus, sending their vociferous fans at the Dnipro Stadium into wild jubilation.
The match was the Super Eagles first outing since the 2019 African Cup of Nations Championship in Egypt where it placed third, winning the bronze medal.
Rohr had given Ayodele-Aribo, Anderson Esiti, Josh Maja and Dennis Bonaventure their first taste of International Football.
