Nigeria’s Olympic Eagles made mincemeat of their Sudanese counterparts, thumping the North Africans 5-0 at Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba yesterday to qualify for the 2019 CAF U-23 Africa Cup of Nations slated for Cairo, Egypt, in November.
Ndifreke Effiong netted a brace, while Taiwo Awoniyi, Sunday Faleye and Sunusi Ibrahim netted one each as Nigeria cruised to a comfortable 5-0 win in Asaba. The Imama Amapakabo’s team thus qualifies on 5-1 aggregate win.
It took Taiwo Awoniyi Ibrahim 10 minutes to drive the dominant Dream Team V11 in front, canceling out the first leg deficit to bring aggregate scoreline to 1-1.
The goal opened up the game as both sides fought hard to take advantage. But it was the the Olympic Eagles who pressed the throttle cables harder and were rewarded soon after when Ndifreke Effiong doubled Nigeria’s lead on 27 minute, driving in a strong headed effort beyond Sudanese goalkeeper, Mohammed Adam from John Lazarus’ cross
The Sudanese then poured out in numbers for an away goal but it was Ndifreke who grabbed a brace and took the scoreline to 3-0 (3-1on aggregate) when he poked home from an Ebube Duru cross on 45 minutes.
Nigeria went into the halftime break holding an emphatic 3-0 lead.
Sunday Faleye made it 4-0 on the hour mark to hand Nigeria a 4-1 aggregate lead. Later, Sunusi Ibrahim made it 5-0 as Nigeria ran to a comfortable 5-0 lead and (5-1) on aggregate.
At this stage, the home side resorted to entertaining the Stephen Keshi Stadium fans with skill and sleek ball work while winding down the clock.
With this win, Nigeria has qualified for the 2019 CAF U-23 Africa Cup of Nations slated for Cairo, Egypt, in November.
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