6 May 2011
Despite training just once on Wednesday evening, Nigeria B team still managed to beat their Liberian counterparts 1-0 to get the defence of the WAFU Cup in Abeokuta off to a winning start.
Eagles drew the first blood in the 20th minute when Ekhigo Ehiosun fired in the opener which drew wide jubilation from the fair crowd at the MKO Abiola Stadium.
But the Liberians did everything to curtail the forays of their Nigerian counterpart till the end of the first half.
Little wonder Myers Garlo received caution after just nine minutes and dangerman Patric Wleh in the 45th minute.
The Eagles, however, brought in ageless Victor Ezeji for Stanley Okoronkwo in the 46th minute and that brought a little bit of urgency into the attack of the team.
But lack of cohesion and match rustiness were very much evident in the Nigerian performance against the Lone Star.
The Liberians grew in confidence towards the latter stage of the game with good and accurate passes while the Eagles defence led by captain Chibuzor Okonkwo withstood all the pressure, and goalkeeper Sunday Rotimi did well to keep out the Liberians on at least three occasions in the 65th, 78th and 82nd minutes.
Liberian coach, Thomas Kojo, expressed satisfaction with the performance of his players most especially the second half.
My boys were good in the second half while we were not so good when we played the first half. We will bounce back in the second match, the Liberian coach vowed.
To the Eagles coach, Samson Siasia, his team did not play well in the second half but we will rise to the occasion in their subsequent games.
We trained only once and this really showed in our game. But I would say I was even a bit satisfied in the first half compared with our second half performance. But I still believe that we will improve in the next match, Siasia assured.
Mali and Senegal have failed to turn up for the eight-team competition, while The Gambia and Togo were still being expected.
Meanwhile, Siasia has replaced two Enyimba players, Valentine Nwabili and Bernard Okorowanta, with U-23 team left back Usman Amoda and Sunshine Stars forward Ifeanyi Okoye.
Nwabili and Okorowanta were held back by the Peoples Elephant for Sundays all-important CAF Champions League decider against Al Ittihad of Libya in Aba.
Due to the unrest in Libya, CAF has reduced the fixture to a one-leg affair and the victor in Aba on Sunday will reach the money-spinning league stage of Africas prime club competition.
