AMAJU Melvin Pinnick, Nigeria Football Federation president, has dedicated the Super Eagles’ 4-0 defeat of Libya in a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier in Uyo on Saturday to the country’s president, Muhammadu Buhari.
Saturday’s match was the first in the fresh tenure of the Pinnick-led NFF, following the elections in Katsina three weeks ago that handed the board another four-year term.
And it was instructive that Alhaji Aminu Maigari, Pinnick’s predecessor and major challenger in the elections, was installed beside the trailblazer and history-maker in the VIP Box at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Saturday.
“The President and his wonderful team take the credit for the conducive environment in which Nigerian Football is thriving,” Pinnick said after the match.
“I also want to appreciate Governor Udom Emmanuel and his Government in Akwa Ibom State. They have remained pillars of support for the Super Eagles for several years now, and the support of the good people of Akwa Ibom State deserves kudos as well.”
Nigeria shot to second place in Group E of the 2019 Afcon qualifier series after Odion Ighalo exorcised his ghosts with a spectacular hat-trick and the impressive Samuel Kalu added one to condemn the Mediterranean Knights to a 4-0 defeat in Uyo.
Pinnick, who is also the first vice-president of the
Confederation of African Football (Caf), commended federation partners and sponsors for their huge contributions to all facets of the Nigerian game.
The China-based former junior international Ighalo had not scored for Nigeria from open play since his goal against Cameroon at the same venue in a 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifier 13 months ago.
It was clear the long interlude was getting to the forward.
But a hat-trick against the Mediterranean Knights has fully restored his bounce and turn.
As early as the third minute, Nigeria were in front after Ighalo harassed goalkeeper Fathi Abdaula to fumble with a back pass, and the player himself dispatched the ball past the keeper from the spot kick.
Wilfred Ndidi’s header kissed the upright and bounced away, before Francis Uzoho was alert to parry the ball from a close header by the dangerous Anis Mohamed Saltou.
Ighalo scored the second from a magnificent Iwobi through pass, two minutes to the hour mark.
Kalu finally got the goal that his energy, endeavour and creativity deserved, on the dot of time, when he sliced a shot from the edge of the box into the right angle with goalkeeper Abdaula’s flailing hands unable to stop the ball from its destination.
This was Nigeria’s seventh goal in two qualifier matches without conceding, after they beat the Seychelles 3-0 at the Stade Linite last month.
They will play South Africa’s Bafana Bafana next month in what promises to be a humdinger after Stuart Baxter’s lads defeated the west Africans 2-0 last year.
- Libya and Nigeria clash again at the 18 000-seater Stade Taïeb Mhiri in the city of Sfax, Tunisia tomorrow at 8pm (SA time).
