Nigeria’s Sand Eagles have won the third place game at the
Power House Beach Soccer Challenge in Durban, South Africa after beating the
hosts 9-3 in the classification game on Sunday.
Nigeria had lost 6-5 to Senegal in the second semi-final on
Saturday while the Ivory Coast beat South Africa 9-1 to advance and set the two
sides for the third place match.
The Sand Eagles went ahead inside the first minute through
Ibenegbu Ikechukwu’s clever ball after being teed up by Abu Azeez.
Emmanuel missed a header at the far post that would have put
Nigeria 2-0 up as the Beach Eagles swooned over the South Africans.
Goalkeeper Oladepo made two brilliant
saves from Fanni as South Africa tried to claw their way back to into the game
but were soon undone as Abu Azeez beat two defenders to slot home and make it
2-0 to the Sand Eagles.
South Africa pulled one back through
Ndlovu who scored straight from a corner kick to peg it at 2-1.
The second period started with South
Africa equalising through Power again for his second of the game but Abu Azeez
notched his sixth of the tournament and Nigeria’s third with a turn and shot to
restore the lead to 3-2.
Nigeria got a penalty after Fanni
fouled Abu Azeez but the Warri Wolves man missed the spot kick as the South
African goalkeeper saved his kick.
Ndlovu got South Africa back into
the game with a well taken shot to beat Olalekan to make it 3-3 in a very
interesting second period.
Azeez got Nigeria back into the lead
again just before the end of the second period with a snap shot which rested in
the back of the net as the second period ended with Nigeria leading 4-3.
Ibenegbu cracked the upright at the
start of the third and final period as Abu Azeez tested the South Africa
goalkeeper with a fierce volley before Victor Tale’s free kick gave Nigeria a
two goal cushion.
Abu Azeez’s goal made it 6-3 with
four minutes left in the third period as the Sand Eagles began to ascertain
their supremacy late on in the game. An own goal by South African captain
Nester made 7-3 for Nigeria.
Poor defending by South Africa gave
Abu a clear sight at goal and he didn’t fail with his fifth of the game and
Nigeria’s eight of the evening.
Emmanuel made it nine for Nigeria
after several misses by Ibenegbu and Azeez as the the Sand Eagles comfortably
saw the game off to pick the bronze medal of the 2015 Power Horse African
Challenge in Durban, South Africa
Nigeria starting V vs South Africa:
Abu Azeez, Ikechukwu Ibenegbu, Lekan
Oladepo, Emmanuel Onwoferia, Victor Tale