By Obi Martins Okafor.Photo Credit: AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee
The super Eagles claimed a 3-1 victory against Venezuela to send a scare towards our fellow AFCON contenders on how ruthless they can be when they really put their minds to it.
Ideye Brown (48 ‘), Nosa Igiebor (53′) and Onazi Ogenyi Green scored for the Eagles and Frank Feltscher (69 ‘) for the Venezuelan Burgundy. It was an interesting and unforgettable night at Giant Little Havana of Miami. Venezuelan fans took the stage. A band with drums and trumpets made music all night.
Oswaldo Vizcarrondo was locked in a duel with other Nigerian strikers and the African players played the game as if it were a World Cup clash. From the beginning, the Venezuelan played a good very well throughout the period of the game and they came close to goal many times especially from the left, from where the ball created danger for Austine Ejide, goalkeeper and captain of the Nigerian side.
The captain Juan Arango provided long distance several times, trying to surprise Austine.
Nigeria, meanwhile, responded with a fast and physical game, and in this way, fans could watch a dynamic, motivated and emotional game. Barely three minutes into the second half of the game, Brown scored the first goal in the history of the Marlins Park. Four minutes later, Nosa topped the ball in the air and from about 35 metres so unobjectionable beat the goalkeeper Hernandez and it was 2 goals for the Eagles.
At 54 minutes, Salomon Rondon took a pass from Arango, stopped the ball with his chest and scored. The centre referee pointed to the midfield, but then an assistant showed that the Venezuelan striker touched the ball with his hand and therefore annulled the goal.
The game gained intensity with the Venezuelan team pushing towards discounting all the advantage, and opened spaces. The Eagles took advantage of this and began to play with more ease.
Hernandez, the Venezuelan Goalie made two great saves for the home team. Nigeria’s Ogenyi Capitazo from the penalty spot scoring the third goal to win the friendly match for Nigeria.
