Eagles Hit VON For Three

Nigeria ’s Super Eagles continued its build-up for the friendly against Liberia next week and the Nations Cup qualifier against Rwanda on Friday morning in Abuja , with a commanding 3-0 win against Nationwide division one side Voice of Nigeria (VON), Abuja .

The match played at the artificial turf of the FIFA Goal Project in the Federal capital saw Head Coach Stephen Keshi, trying out many new players who proved too much for the amateur side.

However, it was regulars like goalkeeper Okemute Odah, Godfrey Oboabona, Juwon Oshaniwa, Azubuike Egwueke, Papa Idris, who all starred in the defence, Gabriel Reuben, Ossai Uche, Sunday Emmanuel and newcomer Henry Uche, who held sway in the midfield while Kalu Uche and Izu Azuka, where handed the striker’s role in the 4-4-2 formation of Keshi.

The game started on a high note for the Eagles when after just two minutes, Uche raced clear from the left, found a lurking Kalu who pushed the ball to Azuka to tap in for the opening goal. That goal seemed to have woken up the VON side, as they started contesting every ball and stopped the free flow rhythm of the national team.

It must be said though that the Eagles goalie was practically on holidays despite the resistance of the opposition.

The game continued in a ding dong fashion until in the 41st minute when Oboabona’s furious overlap from the right found Azuka in the danger area, his first time shot was saved by the keeper, then there was a rebound but Kalu Uche, there to tap home for the second of the morning.

As the first half was coming to a close Oshaniwa had other ideas as his overlapping break from the left tore the VON defence apart and he laid it for Azuka to coolly finish for the third and last goal of the encounter watched by a sizeable number of Abuja residents, members of the female U20 side, the Falconets and a battery of journalists.

The second half was also very eventful even though there were no goals. Big Boss Keshi changed the entire squad that featured in the first and brought in the like of Dan Akpeyi in goal, Kingsley Salami, Bathlomew Ibenegbu, Kola Anubi,Obina Nwachukwu, Chidi Osuchukwu, Kabir Umar, while Osas Omamo, was made the skipper.

It was still one way traffic for the Eagles but they were wasteful in front of goal with Barnabas Imenger and Umar the worst culprit. Keshi said at the end of the encounter that he was impressed with his wards display, but added that the new ones needed time to blend with the rest of the squad.