Eagles, Football College In Six Goals Thriller

The Super Eagles played 3 all draw against the Abuja Football College on Thursday at the training pitch, National Stadium, Abuja.

 The match was the first test match since the Eagles return to camp after 2013 African Nations Cup qualification.

 Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, said the team was still work in progress after they were forced to a 3-3 draw by amateur side Abuja Football College.

 The Eagles which started with the home based first eleven save for skipper, Chigozie Agbim, quickly went into business dominating play and restricting the Ahmed Ahmed tutored side to their side of the pitch.

Dan Akpeyi, who was in goal for the Super Eagles hardly had a feel of the ball before the national team opened its accounts in the fifth minute. Impressive right back Kwambe Solomon, who shone like a million star in the encounter, floated a freekick that was neatly converted by Sunday Mba.

 The Eagles continued their dominance of the game but were unable to increase the tally until 35th minute into the encounter when Francis Benjamin long ranger from about 40 yards rolled into the net of the sprawling Abuja Football College goalie.

 In the 43rd minute Ubale Mannir made it three for the Eagles and from then on the thinking was that there will be a rain of goals for the national team.

How wrong the thoughts were, as the Football College team, came forcefully into the second half determined to upset the national team.

 The national team technical crew also did the obvious by pulling out the team that started the first half for a new team in the second. By this time Chigozie Agbim, Papa Idris, Zango Umar, Ejike Uzoenyi and Gambo Mohammed held sway for the national side.

But it was the more determined Football College side that got the opening goal of the half when John Ajaiyi ran past a tentative Idris to score the first goal for his side in the 63rd minute. In the 78th minute Kingsley Olieh fierce shot was pushed back into play by Agbim for on-rushing John Abraham to get his side’s second goal.

The third goal was in the same fashion as Agbim fumbled a back pass from Zango for on-rushing Saiq Umar to lob home. Football College Coach, Ahmed Ahmed, doing a post mortem of the encounter said that his wards were overwhelmed in the first half by the intimidating central defence pair of Godfrey Oboabona and Azubuikie Eguwueke.

 “When they were removed in the second half I told my boys to go through the central as their replacement were less troublesome and intimidating. But I know that the national team merely took the game easy with us, but we also gave them a good fight”.

 The national team is expected to file out again on Saturday for another test match at the training pitch of the National Stadium, before the home based lads for the trip to Miami, USA, against Venezuela will be announced.