Nigeria are Unity Cup champions thanks to a 5-4 win on penalties over Jamaica in the final following a 2-2 draw after 90 minutes at the Gtech Community Stadium in London on Saturday.
Eric Chelle’s Super Eagles were looking to carry on from winning the Jollof Derby against Ghana by beating Steve McLaren’s Jamaica, and got off to a flying start thanks to Moses Simon’s opener.
Wilfred Ndidi’s great pass from midfield went over the Jamaica defence to find Cyriel Dessers, who knocked the ball across goal to Simon to score after nine minutes.
Nigeria’s lead lasted only three minutes, though, as Jamaica launched a counter-attack off an intercepted Sam Chukwueze pass, with Kaheim Dixon arriving at the near post to slot in a cross from Renaldo Cephas.
Chukwueze made up for the equaliser by putting Nigeria back ahead early in the second half, receiving a pass from Nathan Tella before staying composed in the midst of five defenders to send a shot into the bottom corner after 53 minutes.
It didn’t take long for the Reggae Boys get back on level terms again, with Cephas once more the provider with a cross which was headed in from point-blank range by Jon Russell after 63 minutes.
Chelle brought on Arokodare and the Belgian Pro League top scorer caused the Jamaican defence a lot of problems although goalkeeper Davis was on hand to keep the scores level.
Another substitute, Kelechi Iheanacho, came close to scoring in the latter stages of the final but was denied by Davis, as the match finished 2-2 and proceeded to a penalty shoot-out.
Jamaica scored their first three kicks while Iheanacho, Simon and Arokodare responded in kind for the Super Eagles. Crucially, Atkinson saw his penalty hit the crossbar before going over, with Bruno Onyemaechi converting his spot-kick to put Nigeria in front.
Bell levelled for Jamaica with a penalty that evaded Stanley Nwabali’s reach by whiskers, but it proved inconsequential as Christantus Uche, making his Super Eagles debut, calmly scored his penalty to win the Unity Cup for Nigeria.