How Super Eagles Defeated Mali;Match Report

After former captain Joseph Yobo called
on the new generation of Super Eagles to “rise to the occasion and lift the Super Eagles to new levels,” a relatively young Nigerian team gifted with a sense of urgency, purpose and
craftsmanship pipped Les Aigles of Mali 1-0 in an exciting international friendly in Rouen on Friday.
Without skipper John Mikel Obi and his assistant, Ahmed Musa who were released to be part of Yobo’s testimonial match in Port Harcourt, the Eagles were expected to struggle at the Stade Robert Diochon. But the young team fought well and in a pragmatic manner and could have won by a wider margin if
Forward Odion Ighalo hadn't fluffed a hatful of chances in the first half, but Etebo Oghenekaro, Alex Iwobi and man-of-the-match Shehu Abdullahi
gave the Eagles legs on the field in a game that, for long periods, flowed from end-to-end. With only goalkeeper Djigui Diarra to beat, Ighalo wasted a golden chance in the 19th minute.
There were plenty of great opportunities but Ighalo, debutant Musa Muhammed and Etebo could not get the ball into the Malian net before
half time.
Just before half time, an error by stand-in skipper Ogenyi Onazi nearly gifted Mali the lead. But the impressive Carl Ikeme covered well. The mobile Musa Muhammed was thwarted after
a good pass by the creative Alex Iwobi in the 50th minute. Etebo was then foiled three minutes later before Ighalo wasted another opportunity on
the hour mark. Ikeme saved well from a header in the 69th minute, before substitute Kelechi Iheanacho scored Nigeria’s only goal in the 77th
minute, only three minutes after coming on. Iheanacho had replaced Iwobi in the 74th minute, in-between two efforts by Umar Aminu. Another
substitute, Babatunde Michael, worked out a brilliant pass for the Manchester City forward to slot past the Malian goalie. Six minutes from time, Iheanacho rattled the goalkeeper once again, before Kingsley Madu came close with a shot.
The Super Eagles will depart Rouen on Sunday for Luxembourg City, where they play that country’s senior team on Tuesday night.
EAGLES LINE-UP: Carl Ikeme, Musa Muhammed, William Troost Ekong, Leon Balogun, Kingsley Madu, Etebo Oghenekaro (Babatunde Michael,
61’), Ogenyi Onazi (Raheem Lawal, 70’), Shehu Abdullahi (Gbenga Arokoyo, 88’), Alex Iwobi (Kelechi Iheanacho, 74’), Odion Ighalo (Brown Ideye, 61’), Moses Simon (Umar Aminu, 61’)