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Debutant Ayodele-Aribo Dazzles as Ukraine Force Super Eagles to 2-2 Draw
A relatively-newbreed Super Eagles team came close to bringing down Ukraine’s “Blue and Yellow’’ in Dnipro on Tuesday before suffering loss of concentration for a 2-2 draw.
At the Dnipro Arena in the central Ukrainian city, the hosts were almost being disgraced by their guests, before two goals in 45 seconds with 15 minutes left saved the day.
Debutant Joseph Ayodele-Aribo put the seal on a frenetic beginning at the 31,000-capacity venue when he cleverly utilised a cross by Alex Iwobi.
That was after great work by Samuel Kalu had left the Ukrainian defence in tatters.
The goal made the Glasgow Rangers FC player became the 60th player to score right on international debut for Nigeria.
Two minutes later, Samuel Chukwueze drove into the home team’s vital area but saw his shot saved by goalkeeper Andriy Lunin.
In the 12th minute, goalkeeper Francis Uzoho read the Ukrainian foremen well enough to intercept what would have been a dangerous situation.
Halfway into the half, Nigeria should have made it two as Iwobi’s chip found Ayodele-Aribo.
The Scottish Premier League forward connected with a diving header that took all of Lunin’s awareness to push over the bar.
From the corner kick, Osimhen headed powerfully towards goal but Lunin again thwarted.
Eleven minutes later, the Eagles were two goals up, as Osimhen lashed into the far corner from the penalty kick spot after Kalu was upended in the box.
In the 42nd minute, Uzoho made a terrific double save from Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Three minutes later, Iwobi could not really find Osimhen to make it three as Nigeria swept forward once more.
Three minutes into the second half, Iwobi wasted a glorious chance as he dragged his shot too wide of Lunin’s post when clear on goal.
Four minutes later, Nigeria should have been given a second penalty kick as Kalu was hacked in the box.
Semi Ajayi made a decisive touch to deny Victor Kovalenko and Roman Yaremchuk in the 57th minute.
This was just after Chukwueze sold his pass too long to Osimhen who lurked in the other end’s vital area.
Two minutes later, a brilliant solo run by Chukwueze ended with him once more placing the ball too wide of goal, with Lunin flat-footed.
Andriy Yarmolenko, Yaremchuk, Zinchenko, Viktor Tsygankov and Mykola Matvyenko all made efforts to break down the Nigerian defence with no luck.
Just after the hour, Uzoho showed why he should have been the one in goal for Nigeria at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt last July.
He e punched away a free-kick from about 20 yards that was all too similar to the one Riyad Mahrez utilised to score for Algeria in the AFCON semi-finals.
However, the home team got lucky in the 78th minute, as the dangerous Zinchenko got behind the defence and shot past Uzoho.
Right from the kick-off after the goal, loss of concentration handed the advantage to the home team, and Yaremchuk got the ball past Uzoho.
Yaremchuk however appeared to have scored with the hand and the effort should have been ruled off.
On the dot of 90 minutes, Uzoho punched away another fierce 20-yard free-kick.(NAN)
Jorge Nogueira, Captain of Guinea Bissau, says his team had a lot of respect for Nigeria, but did not allow the ‘big names’ in the Super Eagles’ squad intimidate them on the pitch.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Wild Dogs of Guinea Bissau on Friday stunned the Super Eagles 1-0 in a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier, played at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
Nogueira told newsmen during a post-match conference that in as much as his team respects the Super Eagles, they went into the game with the mentally that names don’t play football.
“First and foremost, I will like to dedicate this victory to the good people of Guinea Bissau.
“We respect all Nigerian players, but the truth is that names don’t play on the pitch.
“So, they (Super Eagles) tried to do everything to break the will and spirit of our team as they created a lot of scoring opportunities, but our defence was up to the task.
“We remained strong, resolute and were optimistic that we could cause an upset here in Abuja,” he said.
The captain added that the quality of the pitch complicated issues for his team as it was very tough to play on and curtail the incessant attacks from the Super Eagles.
NAN reports that the Wild Dogs play hosts to the Super Eagles in the reverse fixture of the qualifiers in Marrakech, Morocco, on Monday.
Guinea Bissau have Morocco as home venue for now as they do not have a Confederation of African Football (CAF)-approved playing turf.
They currently top Group A of the 2023 AFCON qualifiers, with seven points from three matches, while Nigeria with six points, drop to the second position.
The Leone Stars of Sierra Leone are in third position with two points, while Sao Tome and Principe, with one point, sit at the bottom of the log. (NAN)
By Orkula Shaagee, Abuja
Abuja-based young tennis star, Chukwudubem Amassiani, has emerged a kid on the block, as he swept through his round-robin groups in the Boys 12 and 14s to qualify for two semi-finals in the ongoing CBN Junior Tennis Championship in Lagos.
Amassiani, the 12 and Under champion on the junior circuit was given a chance to play up one age group, a strategy used by the International Tennis Academy, organisers of the tournament, to fast-track the development of the top juniors.
The winner of that match will play against the winner of the second semifinals between top seed David Edwards, just back from the African Junior Championships in Togo and Sulaimon Samod from the host club.
The Iorlumun sisters Eunice and Mary, who emerged top of their groups have been coincidentally drawn to meet in the semifinals of the Girls 16s. The other semifinal will feature Alice Paul from Ondo and Etioro Bassey from Akwa Ibom.
In the meantime, nine year-old Karina Opuene from Bayelsa has been the attraction of the Girls 12 event as she showed tremendous skill and determination to win two matches in her group – one of which was a decisive 6-0 thrashing of Barakat Ganiyu from Oyo State.
The tournament taking place at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club is scheduled to end on Saturday.
By Orkula Shaagee, Abuja
Iorlumun sisters, Eunice and Mary, from Benue State, yesterday recorded impressive victories in the opening round robin matches at the CBN Junior Tennis Championship taking place at the prestigious Lagos Lawn Tennis club.
Playing in the Girls 16 event, Eunice, the older of the two, defeated Oyin Samuel from Lagos 6-2 while Mary overcame Alice Paul from Ondo state in a long drawn out one set decider, 6-4.
In other group matches, Wisdom Effiong from Akwa Ibom beat Adepesi Paul from Ekiti 6-2 and Seyi Ogunsakin overpowered Joseph Daniel to ensure they are on track for semifinal places in the Boys 14 event.
Other players who made wining starts were Roseline Nana from Lagos, who defeated Mofunfu Atitola from the host club 6-3, and Barakat Ganiyu from Lagos, who edged Karina Opuene from Bayelsa 6-0 in the Girls 12 event.
The International Tennis Academy organisers of the tournament said the round robin format ensured that players who have come from far and near play a minimum of three matches to deepen their match experience and hasten their progress in the game.The tournament which is featuring singles matches in boys and girls 16s, 14s and 12s is scheduled to end on Saturday with a grand finale starting at 12 noon and open to all-comers.
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