Unity Cup Tournament: Super Eagles proved mettle against Black Stars in London thriller

Nigeria and Ghana ignited an electric atmosphere at the Gtech Community Stadium in Brentford on Wednesday, with the Super Eagles coming out tops in a sweet 2-1 victory that sprung them into Saturday’s final.

A rapturous evening in West London began in frenetic pace, with Cyriel Dessers asking hard questions of the Ghanaian defence, and it was not long before he got his reward. In the 14^th minute, defender Sodiq Ismaila darted to the right wing and sent the ball into the box, and Dessers took full advantage of a defender who slipped while trying to clear the ball, chested down brilliantly and fired past goalkeeper Benjamin Asare.

Five minutes later, another audacious move resulted in another goal. Samuel Chukwueze sent the ball into the box from a free-kick 25 yards out, and defender Semi Ajayi’s header saw the ball deflected off the body of a defender to wrongfoot Asare for Nigeria’s second.

Now in the ascendancy, the Super Eagles could have increased the tally two minutes later, but the exciting Dessers saw his cross into the box begging for connection.

A roar went out from the large Ghanaian population in the stadium when goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali made a mistake while trying to kick the ball to defender Igoh Ogbu, but the South Africa-based safe hands made a one-handed save to parry the resulting effort away from goal.

Asare denied Sikiru Alimi in the 32^nd minute, and at the other end, the Remo Stars’ forward was on hand to head the ball to safety as Ghana launched with a free-kick from the left.

Skipper Jordan Ayew was a thorn in the Eagles’ flesh throughout the second half, with deft touches that left the Super Eagles’ defenders flummoxed at times, and his combination with Christopher Bonsu Baah and Brandon Thomas Asante eventually produced the Black Stars’ only goal with 20 minuets left. Ayew came pretty close to netting the equalizer in the 77^th minute, but missed the target.  

Nigeria will square up to Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz in Saturday’s final, while the Black Stars take on the Soca Warriors of Trinidad and Tobago in the third-place match starting at 12.30pm.

Jamaica edged another thrilling game on Tuesday, beating the Soca Warriors 3-2 with a penalty kick in added time, and will file out against the Super Eagles at 5pm on Saturday.