INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY
The Super Eagles defeated fiercest rival, Ghana 2-1 in an international friendly played at the Stade de Marrakech, Morrocco yesterday evening
Kelechi Iheanacho came close to opening scoring in the 9th minute, forcing the Ghanaian goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi to a save with a curling shot from his left boot.
The Super Eagles got another chance to change the scoreline in the 14th minute when a long pass found his way into the path of Cyriel Dessers but the striker couldn’t find the target.
In the 17th minute, Nigeria got a penalty call ignored by the referee after the ball had touched the arms of one of the Ghanaian defenders.
At the half-hour mark, Iheanacho tried to set up Dessers from a free-kick but the Rangers striker couldn’t get the required touch on the ball.
The Belgian-born forward eventually opened the scoring in the 37th minute, from the penalty spot, putting the ball in the bottom right corner and sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.
Bournemouth striker Antoine Semenyo had the chance to restore parity for the Black Stars, having found himself one-on-one against Stanley Nwabali, but failed to hit the target.
Dessers’ strike from the penalty spot would be the difference between both sides at the end of the first half.
Iheanacho came close to giving Nigeria a two-goal cushion in the 52nd minute, cutting easily through Ghana’s defence but his shot drifted wide.
Two minutes later, Jordan Ayew forced Nwabali to his first save of the second half with a header from a cross into the penalty area.
Four minutes before the hour mark, Ghana were reduced to 10 men after the referee gave Jerome Opoku his marching orders.
Bruno Onyemeachi delivered a perfect into the feet of Dessers in the 61st minute but the latter couldn’t bury the ball from close range.
Nwabali quickly came off his line to deny Semenyo a clear goalscoring opportunity in the 70th minute as the Black Stars kept searching for the equaliser.
Ten minutes before the end of the normal regulation time, Alidu Seidu forced Nwabali to another save from a shot from outside the penalty area.
The Super Eagles put the game behind the reach of Ghana with Ademola Lookman roofing the ball into the net after a beautiful combination of play from Alex Iwobi and Iheanacho in the 84th minute
Nwabali showed utmost desperation to keep a clean sheet denying the Black Stars from changing the scoreline with a brilliant save in the 89th minute.
His effort was wasted as Ayew pulled one back for the Black Stars from the penalty spot in the fifth minute of the stoppage time.
