Nigeria’s Flying Eagles got their first three points of the football event at the ongoing 12th African Games with a 2-1 win over South Africa at the FAR Sports Complex in Rabat yesterday.
Goals by Collins Sor and Ahmed Ghali ensured Nigeria went on top in Group A of the men’s football event at the ongoing competition.
Coach Paul Aigbogun made three changes to the lineup that drew 1-1 with Burkina Faso with Adesina Gata coming in for Success Makanjuola, while Liameed Quadri took the place of Samuel Nnoshiri and Mathew
Yakubu replaced a crocked Detan Ogundare in goal.
Nigeria started brightly and could have taken the lead but for a plethora of missed chances, notably by Collins Sor, Ahmad Ghali and Saeed Jibril. Sor eventually broke the deadlock in the 27th minute after cooly finishing Saeed Jibril’s pass.
South Africa equalised through Ofentse Mashiane who found space in the Flying Eagles’ defence to equalise in the 55th minute.
Coach Aigbogun brought on Success Makanjuola and Chinonso Emeka for Saeed Jibril and Collins Sor and this helped increase the tempo in Nigeria’s attack which resulted in the winning goal. Ibrahim Abubakar found space to run at the South African defence and whipped in a cross which was met by Ghali for his second of the competition and the winner for Nigeria.