Nigeria’s Flying Eagles continued their build-up for next month’s 2015 AYC qualifier in Tanzania with an 8 – 0 thumping of gritty Ikare United of Ondo state yesterday in Abuja.
Musa Yahaya and Taiwo Awoniyi produced a brace each with further goals by Alhassan Ibrahim a.k.a Muazam, SulaimanAbdullahi, Abubakar Lawal and Wasiu Jimoh.
The test match played at the FIFA Goal Project in Abuja was watched by the director general of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, as well as the director of competitions of the NFF, Mohammed Sanusi.
The Flying Eagles started on a good note and missed two early chances before Kelechi Iheanacho was fouled inside the box for a penalty in the 9th minute, which Muazam failed to convert as the Ikare goalkeeper did well to save it.
Iheanacho was again thwarted by the Ikare goalkeeper two minutes later when he came face-to-face with him.
Muazam finally broke the deadlock on 13 minutes when he rifled home a low shot from outside the box to make up for his miss from the penalty spot.
Musa Yahaya then saw his shot from outside miss target narrowly in the 24th minute as the Flying Eagles boxed their spirited opponents to their own half of the pitch.
Big striker, Sulaiman Abdullahi, doubled the lead for the Nigeria U-20 squad in the 26th minute with a low shot, before Musa Yahaya tucked home a third goal four minutes later when he went clear of the goalkeeper.
In the 39th minute, Iheanacho tried an audacious effort from the center circle, which failed to produce any result, before Yahaya completed his brace on 42 minutes.
Substitute Awoniyi made it 5 – 0 in the 49th minute after he was set up by Iheanacho and three minutes later, he celebrated his second goal after an attack initiated by Wilfred Ndidi.
Ikare United had a chance to get on the scoreboard in the 56th minute, when they were awarded a penalty for a foul by a Flying Eagles’ defender inside the vital area, but they blasted wide off target.
They again came close on 80 minutes when a free kick crashed against the Flying Eagles’ post.
Two late goals by Abubakar Lawal and Wasiu Jimoh then completed the rout.
