Izuchukwu OkosiNigeria’s Super Eagles on Saturday evening beat Jamaica 5-4 on penalties to lift the 2025 Unity Cup. The final had ended 2-2 at full time before the call for penalty shootout to settle the contest.
Moses Simon and Samuel Chukwueze were the scorers for the Super Eagles who are also billed for an international friendly against Russia in June.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelPrime Business Africa here presents the observations from the game.
1. Chukwueze’s new role
AC Milan forward Samuel Chukwueze was noticeably deployed in the middle of the park.
The former youth international would pick up the ball and dart forward which seems to have worked a trick.
Chukwueze’s passes through the lanes and dovetailed movements to his traditional right side of attack kept the Ghanaians on their toes all evening.
2. ‘Introducing Benjamin Frederick’
Former Flying Eagles star Frederick produced one moment of magic in the game when he made a well-timed tackle to deny a Jamaican player from letting fly a goal-bound shot.
That drew the applause and admiration from his senior teammates and Eagles head coach Eric Chelles after the game.
The Brentford centre back was impressive in his senior debut debut and that shows that the future is very bright for him.
The smile on the face of Eric Chelles while speaking with the player at full time says everything we need to know about the defender’s potentials.
3. Lack of game time for Okoye, Obasogie
Chippa United goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali continued to get the nod for the team’s goalkeeping gloves and first team shirt over the duo of Udinese keeper, Okoye, and Omas Obasogie.
The two keepers may yet be considered for a starting place when the Eagles face Russia in June’s friendly.
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Nwabali is undisputedly the first choice goalkeeper but he must face some measure of competition in order to check complacency.
4.Sodiq’s chance to challenge Ola Aina
Right back Sodiq Ismaila had good performances in the Unity Cup tournament.
He assisted Cyreil Dessers’s goal against Ghana with a pinpoint cross.
His undeniable defensive nous continued to shine through against Jamaica but there were some bad moments too.
It was from his right back position that Jamaica scored their goals from as the left sided wingers delivered crosses into the Eagles’ 18-yard boxes.
Ismaila’s 1v1 situations must improve for him to mount a serious challenge for Ola Aina at his position.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
