Super Eagles have qualified for the second round of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations holding in Cameroon after they defeated Sudan 3-1 at the Omnisports Roumde Adjia Stadium in Garoua.
Goals from Samuel Chukwueze, Taiwo Awoniyi and Moses Simon saw the Eagles blitz to a 3-0 but 70th minute penalty kick converted by Walieldin Safour gave the Sudanese a reprieve.
It was a dream start for Nigeria when a wonderful goal from Samuel Chukwueze to put the Eagles 1-0 up as early as the third minute. Moses Simon provided a good pass in the 18 yard box to the Villarreal attacker who slotted in from close range.
The Sudanese came out more stronger when they went a goal down and they took the game to the Nigerians.
Mohamed Mahamoud bent a screaming drive to force a big save from Maduka Okoye. The Watford bound keeper diving at full stretch to save the Eagles.
The Super Eagles were happy to pass the ball around with Augustine Eguavoen passing instructions at the touchline for the boys to play a more fluid game. It almost resulted into the second goal when Taiwo Awoniyi’s goal bound effort was blocked by the vigilant Sudanese defenders in the 30th minute.
The Eagles were to be denied again by the great save of Goalkeeper Ali Abdallah. He made two great stops in quick succession. First he denied William Troost-Ekong from close range before making himself big to Awoniyi’s rebound.
Nigeria made it 2-0 through Awoniyi after the striker headed it home with goalkeeper Ali Abdallah’s diving save unable to prevent a goal.
The Eagles wrapped the game up only two minutes after the restart through impressive Moses Simon. He poked it home from Awoniyi’s sweet flick to make it 3-0.
The referee was motioned to check the monitor after an infringement through Ola Aina in the Eagles box in the 68th minute and after a lengthy check the Video Assistance Referee awarded a penalty kick to Sudan.
Walieden Safour sent Maduka Okoye the wrong way from the penalty spot in the 70th. Aina was penalized for dragging the shirt of a Sudanese in the penalty box.
Nigeria have thus booked a passage to the second round of the AFCON with six points from two games irrespective of the remaining results in Group D. They need just a point more from the third game to top the group.
The Eagles play Guinea Bissau next on Wednesday in Garoua
