United fall to Super Eagles

 

Nigeria National League campainers, Plateau United of Jos put up a sterling display against the Super Eagles on Saturday morning but eventually fell 2-0, to the matured play of the national team in a game played at the mainbowl of the Abuja National Stadium.


The entertaining game kicked off at exactly 7:45am with the national team parading the probables in the likes of Skipper Chigozie Agbim, Ebenezer Odunlami, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Yinka Adedeji and Solomon Kwambe in defence.

Douglas Achive, Sunday Mba, Okechukwu ‘Small’ Azubuike and Ejike Uzoenyi ran the midfield, while Barnabas Imenger and power-playing Abubakar Aliu were the preferred strikers.

Abubakar, was to force two excellent saves from the Plateau goalkeeper in the first 10 minutes and also attempted a strike from the resultant corner-kick but it went wide.

In the 25th minute overlapping full back, Kwambe did a splendid interchange of passes with Douglas and the loose shot fell to Uzoenyi, who cunningly slotted in the opener with his nimble left.

Despite forcing Eagles Agbim to make an excellent save almost on the dot of time of the first half, the Eagles proved the better side in the half and should have scored more.

In the second half, Keshi made a clear change of all the players save for Odunlami, with teenage goalkeeper Dele Alampasu, in for Agbim. He was again at his commanding best even making a face to face save with a rampaging Plateau attacker in the 70th minute.

As the coaching crew and the few fans who were on hand to watch the game seem to have settled for a 1-0 win for the national team, Enyimba’s Mfom Udoh popped up to slide home the second goal after Gbolahan Salami had ran ragged the Plateau defence to ensure a more respectable scoreline for the national team.

Plateau coach Christopher Danjuma said he was impressed by the display of the national team and was also satisfied with the display of his players, while Keshi said compared to the last match against Niger Tornadoes, his players have shown tremendous improvement, but was not too happy that the Nigerian league is not in session as the players in camp are lethargic due to lack of league action.