Asuquo Shines, As Eagles Trounce Prisons

Three exquisite second half goals assists from Shooting Stars of Ibadan midfield ace, Philip Asuquo, was all Nigeria’s Super Eagles needed to overcome a stubborn Prisons FC of Abuja 4-0, in their last tune-up game before their international friendly against the Menas of Niger Republic this Wednesday.

Before Asuquo’s introduction in the second half, the Eagles parading their first team had managed a lone goal scored in the 13th minute by gangling defender, Azubuike Egwueke, after a well taken corner kick by Solomon Kwambe.

The Prisons team coached by Randy Eotye, had looked the brighter of the two sides in the early part of the game, with their dangerman, Alphonsus Egaji forcing a double save from first choice goalie, Chigozie Agbim in as early as the 5th minute. But the Eagles soon regrouped and unleashed Benjamin Francis, Ejike Uzoenyi, Sunday Mba and Uche Kalu on the opposition but poor finishing was their undoing until Egwueke’s goal.

All that changed in the second half when the likes of Solomon Jabason, Sanusi Sanni, Kabir Umar, Femi Ajani, Uzochukwu Ugonna, Ahmed Zango and man-of-the match, Philip Asuquo stepped into the fray.

Asuquo in particular seized the midfield from Prisons’ Bathlomew Suku, who was having a field day before then and created chance after chance.

His efforts finally paid off in the 70th minute when after superb foot-works in the opponent’s area he found Kabir to slot home effortlessly , ten minutes later, he was back on the same spot to clean out the defence of the Amateur Division One side and placed a perfect one for on-rushing Ajani to slot home.

 That effectively killed off the game but Asuquo was not done yet, as he did another marvelous run down the left to connect Sanni who has been knocking on the door all morning to make hay.

A pleased Stephen Keshi, said he had assured Nigerians that his team will start scoring goals earlier than anticipated and that seem to be coming sooner than even expected. Eotye on his part said he did not expect a lesser performance from the all-home based Eagles.

He however admonished the side to be a little more composed in their games, as that was absent in the match against his side. “Yes, we may have lost 4-0, but I will advise Coach Keshi to work on the composure of the boys.

They seem to lack self-belief at a point and that gave our boys some impetus to attack them. If they get that right the team will go places”, he declared.