Dream Team rout Liberia 6-1
By Tony Ubani & Ime Bassey
The national U-23 team were, Saturday, rattled in the early minutes of the All Africa Games qualifier at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin with a penalty goal in the 30th minute before the Austin Eguavoen-tutored lads rallied to a 6-1 trouncing of their Liberian counterparts.
The rush to nick an early goal had put a little pressure on the Dream Team V squad with top scorer, Ekigho Ehiosun firing into the hands of the Liberian goalkeeper as early as the ninth minute of the encounter.
Italy-based Nnamdi Uduamadi also misfired in the 20th minute before the visitors had a penalty gift in the 30th minute which was converted even after the referee ordered a replay.
The floodgates for Nigeria’s goals were opened in the 35th minute through England-based Daniel Uchechi who incidentally scored from the penalty spot after team-mate Nosa Igiebor was fouled in the box by a Liberian defender.
Shortly after the equaliser, Ganiyu Oseni came in for an injured colleague in the 36th minute. The Eguavoen lads had an avalanche of scoring chances but fluffed them. They however added two more goals towards the tail end of the first half.
Mesmerising Uduamadi dribbled into the Liberian defence but before he could be stopped by the defenders he had slotted the ball beautifully past the goalkeeper for goal number two in the 44th minute.
Solomon Okpaku completed the first half routing with a third goal from the penalty spot two minutes later to the admiration of the Ogbemudia Stadium crowd which included the Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and Chief Lucky Igbinedion, a former governor of the state.
The second half had hardly taken off in full steam when the tally was increased to four in the 47 minute for the homers by Oseni, a key member of the 2007 world beating Golden Eaglets, who added the fifth a few minutes later.
The Liberians became frustrated in the process, bagging yellow cards and a red in the bargain. Igiebor put his name on the score sheet in the closing minutes of the game after netting in the sixth goal for the U-23 team who seem to be comfortable with their Benin base which Governor Oshiomhole has described as ‘a haven ‘ for them.
Speaking after the encounter, the governor assured the Nigeria Football Association, NFA of his government’s continued support for the team, stressing that “anytime they play here, our ancestors will join in supporting them to victory.”
He added that Edo state would reclaim her number one spot in the next National Sports Festival because their sister state, Delta was just keeping it in trust for them.
