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Nigeria Super Eagles, this evening at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium Uyo. defeated Benin Republic 3-0 in the first round qualifying match for the CAF AFCON 2025 Nations Cup, that will be held in Morroco next year.
The Super Eagles dominated the first half of the encounter with their well tailored passes which did not yield any result as the Benin team neutralized every attempt by the Nigerian team.
Victor Boniface missed a couple of chances which came his way and he gave the Benin team something to worry about.
Nigeria came close to scoring when Samuel Chukwueze saw his well taken free kick pushed over the bar by the goal keeper.
Atalanta of Italy, attacker, Ademola Lookman opened the scoring at the stroke of half time, when he took out three defenders as he put the ball at the back of the net. Goal keeper Stanley Nwabali made an excellent save from a free kick which would have been the equalizer for the visitors.
The second half started with the Benin team taking the fight to the Super Eagles, but the four man defence of Troost Ekong, Ola Aina, Semi Ajayi and Calvin Bassey neutralized the various attacks.
Lookman saw his effort contained after rounding off the goalkeeper at the 51st minute.
Caretaker coach Austine Eguaevon made his first set of changes in the 61st minute, when he brought in Bashiru for Iwobi, Moses Simon for Samuel Chukwueze and Olisa Ndah for Calvin Bassey who was on yellow card.
The Benin team would have turned the game against the Eagles, but for the heroics of goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali.
Then came the moment everyone was waiting for. Victor Osimhen came on for Victor Boniface and his introduction sent the crowd wild in ecstasy with his name ringing in the air.
Victor Osimhen justified the confidence of the crowd when he increased the goal tally to two after he connected a pass from Wilfred Ndidi. The goal was widely celebrated as the whole bench rushed the Galatasaray man at the touchline.
Ademola Lookman, made it three for Nigeria when he met a cross from Moses Simon and headed home for his brace, leaving the goalkeeper flat footed.
The Super eagles were in total control as all effort by the visitors to get a consolation goal were made futile.
The next game for the Super Eagles will be on Tuesday, September 10 when they will play Rwanda in Kigali, in a match that will be a firecracker. The Rwanda team defeated South Africa earlier in a World Cup qualifier game some month back.
The Super Eagles who are Three times African Champions, were Runners Up in the last edition of CAF African Cup of Nations that was hosted by Ivory Coast.
NIGERIA STARTING LINEUP.
- Stanley Nwabali
- Semi Ajayi
- William Troost-Ekong
- Calvin Bassey
- Ola Aina
- Wilfred Ndidi
- Alex Iwobi
- Bruno Onyemaechi
- Ademola Lookman
- Victor Boniface
- Samuel Chukwueze
