The Super Eagles of Nigeria yesterday defeated newly promoted Nation-wide side Teap FC of Abuja 1-0 at the package B section of the National stadium, Abuja, as they intensify preparations for the crucial Nations cup qualifier against Liberia next month.
The real story of the day was not the fact that the Eagles had to fight hard to overcome the local side-who gave as much as they got-but the presence of former government minister and world bank official, Oby Ezekwesili, who became the high point of the low key encounter. LEADERSHIP SPORTS gathered that she is a benefactor of TEAP FC and their number one fan.
After taking the kickoff, Dr. Ezekwesili, her mother and husband in tow, sat down to watch the gritty and physical game in the company of ex-internationals, Okey Esima, Peter Ogaba and Musa Santos. The first half was a tightly contested affair.
The Teap FC boys were not awed by the credentials of their home based opponents and gave a good account of themselves even though they were lucky not to concede as the first half drew to a close. Their tormentor-in-chief was the mercurial Ejike Uzoenyi, who played from the flanks, sending in pinpoint crosses and dribbling at will. All he could get at the end of the half was an unlucky shot that cannoned off the crossbar.
The commencement of the second half brought the only reward of the game to the Super Eagles as an immediate foray into their opponent’s box was rewarded by the only goal of the game from the legs of Juwon Oshaniwa who became anonymous afterwards.
Soon after the withdrawal of Uzoenyi, the game lost its bite and slowed down to a tepid ding dong affair with occasional flashes of brilliance from Teap’s Stephen Okechukwu who, the fans on the stands nicknamed, “Mwariwari” for no particular reason other than the fact that he has a striking resemblance to the former Zimbabwean great, of the same name.
Both coaches will take positives from this game. Stephen Keshi will be happy that his boys are coming along nicely and playing the tiki taka style of Barcelona to distinction, though it remains to be seen if they can do so against harder opposition and coach Gaff Anthony of Teap will be elated that his boys, albeit raw in some technical departments, were not humiliated by Keshi’s ever improving home based warriors.