Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Guardian Nigeria
Published on 2024-03-23 04:02:13
In a thrilling match at the Stade de Marrakech in Morocco, interim coach George Finidi guided the Super Eagles to a 2-1 victory over their bitter rivals, the Black Stars of Ghana. This defeat marked Otto Addo’s first loss as a national team manager, as he took over the reins from Jose Peseiro, who left the job after leading the Super Eagles to a second-place finish at the last AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire.
Rangers FC player Cyril Dessers, who returned to the national team after missing out on the AFCON, opened the scoring for Nigeria from the penalty spot in the 38th minute. The Eagles went into halftime with a 1-0 lead, and their advantage was further bolstered when Jerome Poku was shown a red card in the 56th minute, reducing Ghana to ten men.
Despite enjoying the majority of possession and creating numerous scoring opportunities, Nigeria struggled to double their lead. It wasn’t until Ademola Lookman, who came on as a substitute for debutant Tanimu Benjamen in the 79th minute, found the back of the net in the 84th minute to extend the lead to 2-0.
However, Ghana’s captain Jordan Ayew managed to pull one back for his side with a penalty kick in the 93rd minute, but it was too little too late as the Super Eagles held on for a 2-1 victory. The win was especially sweet for Nigeria, as it came just days after the Black Princesses of Ghana had defeated the Falconets in the women’s football tournament at the African Games in Accra, Ghana.
Overall, it was a solid performance from the Super Eagles under the guidance of interim coach George Finidi. The team showed resilience and determination, overcoming their fierce rivals in a hard-fought contest. With this victory, Nigeria’s national team continues to build momentum and make progress under new leadership, signaling a positive future for the team. Fans and supporters of the Super Eagles will be hoping for more success in the upcoming matches and tournaments as they look to establish themselves as a dominant force in African football.
