Austin Eguavoen’s experimental Super Eagles team were beaten 2-1 by South Korea in Wednesday’s international friendly in Seoul.

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Osaze Odemwingie’s header cancelled out Park Ji Sung’s opener before the Park Chu-young finished off a flowing move for the home side’s second.

Both sides had new faces on the bench from their last meeting at the World Cup where a 2-2 draw saw the Asians progress at the expense of the Africans, but where the Korean team had most of the World Cup players, Nigeria’s looked nowhere close.

Only four players from the starting eleven in South Africa started on Wednesday, with two more from the squad.
Eguavoen also handed debuts to three domestic league players, and it was no surprise to see the Super Eagles barely able to put more than two passes together.

It was not too long before the hosts fashioned an opportunity, and the goal came on the half hour. Park stealing behind the full back to rifle into the roof of the net from a tight angle.

Nigeria’s response was quick. Kalu Uche delivered the perfect freekick into the box and Odemwingie rose unmarked to plant a header home.The advantage  remained with Cho Kwang-rae’s team as they continued to pepper Nigeria’s hesitant fullbacks.

It was to be from the centre though, that the second goal came. The Super Eagles defence were left squint-eyed by some intricate Korean passing and Chu-young found himself in front of Aiyenugba at the end of it.
His finish was precise.

Both sides changed personnel at the break, but while the hosts created most of the opportunities in the second half, they could not find the finish to match.They will be happy with the result. For Nigeria, there was little to take away.