Nigeria’s Super Eagles are through to the Unity Cup final against Jamaica following a dramatic 2-1 win over Ghana’s Black Stars at the Gtech Community Stadium in London on Wednesday night.
Eric Chelle started the likes of Cyriel Dessers, Sadiq Ismaila an Igoh starting for a second-string Super Eagles team at Brentford’s home ground, and it was the Nigerians that started the game brighter.
Nigeria’s bright start was rewarded after 14 minutes when Cyriel Dessers took down a cross into the Ghana box from Ismaila Sodiq before slotting into goal to put the Super Eagles ahead.
Semi Ajayi doubled Nigeria’s lead five minutes later when the defender met Samuel Chukwueze’s free-kick with a powerful header that went beyond the reach of Ghana’s keeper, Asare.
The Black Stars came close to being gifted a goal back after 30 minutes as a moment of indecisiveness saw Stanley Nwabali play a wayward pass to a Ghanaian player, before making up for his lapse in concentration with a save.
Nigeria were next to go close to another goal with virtually the last action of the first half, as a goal-line clearance by the Ghana defence ensured Nigeria went into the break still leading by two goals instead of three.
The Black Stars played better in the second half and were duly rewarded when Brandon Thomas-Asante finished off a well worked move to make the score 2-1 with 20 minutes to go in the game.
Ghana would threaten to get a second but Nwabali was on hand to preserve Nigeria’s lead as the Eric Chelle-led team held on to get the win.
The result means Ghana will face Trinidad & Tobago in the losers’ final while Jamaica, following a 3-2 win over T&T on Tuesday, will meet Nigeria in the final on Sunday.