Super eagles secure thrilling 3-2 victory over Mozambique in friendly match
In an exhilarating friendly match, the Super Eagles, missing their star striker Victor Osimhen, clinched a thrilling 3-2 victory against Mozambique. This victory marked Nigeria’s first win in a friendly game in five years.
The game began with Mozambique taking an early lead through Geny Catamo, raising concerns about Nigeria’s winless streak in friendly matches. However, Terem Moffi of OGC Nice equalized for the Super Eagles with a close-range shot, setting the stage for an intense battle.
Nigeria continued to dominate the game and took the lead when Frank Onyeka of Brentford capitalized on a loose ball at the edge of the box, firing a powerful shot into the net.
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Mozambique’s woes deepened as they were reduced to ten men due to a foul on Joe Aribo in the 37th minute. Nigeria capitalized on the advantage, with Simon Moses converting a penalty to secure their third goal, ending the first half comfortably ahead.
The second half saw both teams vying for goals, but Mozambique managed to pull one back through Faisal Abdul Bangal. Nigeria introduced some changes in the later stages of the match, with Sadiq Umar making an immediate impact, though two of his goals were ruled offside. In the end, the Super Eagles held off Mozambique to claim their first friendly match victory since March 2019.
This victory came after a string of fifteen friendly matches, during which Nigeria suffered seven losses and secured eight draws. The team was on the verge of ending this winless streak in a recent game against Saudi Arabia, only to be denied by a deflected free-kick that resulted in a 2-2 draw.
Looking ahead, Nigeria’s focus shifts to the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, where they will face Lesotho’s Crocodiles in a home game on November 13, 2023, before taking on the Warriors of Zimbabwe three days later.