NIGERIA'S Super Eagles have further stepped up their preparations for the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers with a 3-1 victory over Luxemburg tonight marking the team's second success win within a week.
On Friday, the Eagles beat Mali 1-0 at the Stade de Rouen in France but tonight they were much more powerful than their opponents and managed to win by a wider margin. In a team featuring several changes from last week's match, Brown Ideye opened the scoring in the first half with a 35th minute goal after some hard running by Umar Aminu down the left.
In a half during which the Eagles enjoyed 72% possession, they had several opportunities to increase the scoreline but were at bay by Moris in goal for Luxemburg. In the dying minutes of the half, he denied Nigeria a certain goal by miraculously tipping a rasping shot from skipper Ogenyi Onazi over the bar.
Luxemburg managed to keep it at 0-1 nil until the interval but upon resumption, the Eagles started from where they left off, stepping up the pressure. Coach Salisu Yusuf made numerous changes in the second half, bringing on Michael Babatunde, Moses Simon, Wilfred Ndidi, Raheem Lawal, Gbenga Arokoyo and Odion Ighalo on for Alex Iwobi, Umar Aminu, Ogenyi Onazi, Shehu Abdullahi, William Troost-Ekong and Brown Ideye respectively.
These changes energised the midfield, especially with Lawal pulling the strings in front of the back four and it was only a matter of time before the eagles increased the tally. After a great dribbling run down the left by Moses, he laid a square ball to Manchester City's Kelechi Iheanacho, who just had a simple tap in to make it two on the night on 68 minutes.
From then on, the Eagles were in full control of the game and Ighalo had a third goal chalked off for offside around the 82nd minute mark. However, irresponsible play at the back gave Luxemburg a lifeline when Kenneth Omeruo was caught in possession like a schoolboy and childishly gave the ball away allowing Vincent Thill to pull one back for Luxemburg in the 89th minute.
That goal bought the stadium alive as local fans danced and celebrated as if they had won a major tournament but they joy was short-lived. Three minutes later, Ighalo tapped in from six yards out after Iheanacho broke free on the counter attack as Nigeria cleared a Luxemburg corner.
Dashing down the left, Iheanacho beat his man for pace and squared a pass to Ighalo who had a simple finish. His 92nd minute goal was the last event of the evening as the referee blew the final whistle almost immediately from the resumption.
Line-up
Daniel Akpeyi
Musa Muhammed
Uwa Echiejile
Kenneth Omeruo
William Troost-Ekong (Gbenga Arokoyo)
Ogenyi Onazi (C) (Wilfred Ndidi)
Shehu Abdullahi (Raheem Lawal)
Umar Aminu (Simon Moses)
Alex Iwobi (Michael Babatunde)
Brown Ideye (Idion Ighalo)
Kelechi Iheanacho
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