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Match Type
Friendly game

Venue
Kaduna Township Stadium, Kaduna, Nigeria

Coach
Stephen Keshi

Match Line Up
1 Vincent ENYEAMA (Goal Keeper)
Efe AMBROSE
2 Joseph YOBO (Captain)
3 Taye TAIWO
Dele ADELEYE
20 Dickson ETUHU
6 Fegor OGUDE
4 Joel OBI
12 Kalu UCHE
18 Ahmed MUSA
9 Emmanuel EMENIKE

Substitute Bench
Nosa IGIEBOR
Jude ANEKE
Ugo UKAH
Chibuzor OKONKWO
Austin EJIDE (Goal Keeper)
15 Ikechukwu UCHE

Substitutions
Nosa IGIEBOR for Kalu UCHE 80
Jude ANEKE for Emmanuel EMENIKE 74
Ugo UKAH for Dele ADELEYE 57
Chibuzor OKONKWO for Dickson ETUHU 54
Austin EJIDE for Vincent ENYEAMA 46
15 Ikechukwu UCHE for Fegor OGUDE 27

Goals
Kalu UCHE 9
Ikechukwu UCHE 90

Nigeria’s Super Eagles faced a stern examination from Africa Cup of Nations finalists Zambia, but came through with a 2-0 victory.

Goals from the Uche brothers Kalu and Ike sealed a resolute win for Stephen Keshi, on a day when Captain Joseph Yobo equaled Nigeria’s appearance record.

Yobo exhibited a commanding Man of the Match performance on the day.

The first goal was all about Ahmed Musa’s pace. In the ninth minute, Taye Taiwo’s free-kick came off the wall, he found Fegor Ogude, who slipped Musa through.

Musa’s pace got him in behind, and his cutback found Kalu Uche, and it was in.

Chipolopolo finished the half stronger, especially in midfield.

On 74 minutes NPL top scorer Jude Aneke came on for Emmanuel Emenike for his first cap.

Ike Uche scored the second with a screamer on 90 minutes, and completed a nervy but resolute win from the Super Eagles.

Zambia XI: K Mweene, F Kasonde, S Sunzu, N Mulenga, J Musonda, C Katongo, W Njobvu, F Katongo, C Mbesuma, E Mayuka, R Kalaba

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Match Type
Friendly game

Venue
Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium Benin City, Nigeria

Coach
Stephen Keshi

Match Line Up
1 Vincent ENYEAMA (Goal Keeper)
5 Efe AMBROSE
13 Yussuf AYILA
2 Joseph YOBO (Captain)
3 Taye TAIWO
6 Fegor OGUDE
4 Joel OBI
20 Dickson ETUHU
12 Kalu UCHE
17 Ekigho EHIOSUN
15 Ikechukwu UCHE

Substitute Bench
16 Austin EJIDE (Goal Keeper)
7 Chinedu OBASI
8 Brown IDEYE
9 Emmanuel EMENIKE
10 Jude ANEKE
11 Nosa IGIEBOR
14 Dele ADELEYE
18 Ahmed MUSA
19 Gege SORIOLA
21 Elderson ECHIEJILE
22 Ugo UKAH

Substitutions
Elderson ECHIEJILE for Taye TAIWO
Chinedu OBASI for Ekigho EHIOSUN
Austin EJIDE for Vincent ENYEAMA
Ahmed MUSA for Ikechukwu UCHE
Brown IDEYE for Kalu UCHE
Nosa IGIEBOR for Joel OBI

Nigeria managed a goalless draw against Botswana in a friendly international in Benin City on Saturday evening in what was Coach Stephen Keshi’s first game in charge.

An enthusiastic crowd turned up to cheer the Super Eagles to victory, but they were left disappointed as the resolute, well coordinated Zebras held their own in defence to ward off the hosts in attack.

The Eagles found it hard to break down the Zebras with shots blocked by young goalkeeper Kabelo Dambe even as the Nigerians retained most of the possession throughout the game.

Ike Uche, Joel Obi and Fegor Ogude all saw their shots kept out by Dambe as rain poured down on the first half.

The eager fans then took to singing and asking for a goal in the second half that saw a series of changes made by both coaches.

Substitutes Brown Ideye, Chinedu Obasi and Ahmed Musa had opportunities saved as the game wore to a close.

Dickson Etuhu was voted the Most Valuable Player.

Nigeria will next play Zambia on November 15 in Kaduna as they seek to rebuild after missing out of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.

Match Type
Friendly game

Venue
Vicarage Stadium, Watford, London

Coach
Samson Siasia

Match Line Up
1 Austin EJIDE (Goal Keeper)
5 Efe AMBROSE
3 Taye TAIWO
2 Joseph YOBO (Captain)
13 Dele ADELEYE
4 Joel OBI
6 Fegor OGUDE
17 Ahmed MUSA
18 Victor Obinna NSOFOR
15 Ikechukwu UCHE
8 Brown IDEYE

Substitute Bench
Chigozie AGBIM (Goal Keeper)
Emmanuel EMENIKE
21 Elderson ECHIEJILE
10 John Obi MIKEL
7 Chinedu OBASI
16 Kalu UCHE
Gege SORIOLA
Peter UTAKA
Emmanuel EKPO
Ekigho EHIOSUN

Substitutions
Kalu UCHE for Ahmed MUSA 60
John Obi MIKEL for Joel OBI 67
Emmanuel EMENIKE for Brown IDEYE 74
Chinedu OBASI for Victor Obinna NSOFOR 80
Peter UTAKA for Ikechukwu UCHE 85

In-form Ghana were held to a 0-0 draw by a de-spirited Nigeria on Tuesday night in an international friendly played at the Vicarage Road Stadium.

The Super Eagles were on a reputation-saving mission after fluffing their lines to miss out on qualifying to the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations finals and they responded to the task.

Head coach Samson Siasia was under pressure after the weekend’s debacle and he also achieved the result that can convince the Nigeria Football Federation technical team.

Ghana enjoyed more of the ball especially in the first part of the first half but could not turn their possession into penetration. Nigeria fought back and looked more dangerous going forward as Ike Uche and Brown Ideye threatened.

Both sides made use of their bench to make wholesale substitutions and the match should have produced some goals but ended goalless.

Ghana coach Goran Stevanovic and Nigeria coach Samson Siasia were both pleased with their teams’ performance.

Stevanovic says he will take it one step at a time on the way to the 2012 Nations Cup, while Siasia says he is proud of his team as one for the future.

Ghana XI: Adam Kwarasey, John Paintsil, John Mensah, Isaac Vorsah, Masahudu Alhassan – Anthony Annan, Mohammed Abu – Albert Adomah, Kwadwo Asamoah, Quincy Owusu Abeyie – Prince Tagoe

Substitutes: Daniel Agyei, Asamoah Gyan, Sulley Muntari, Derek Boateng, Lee Addy, Dominic Adiyiah, Samuel Inkoom, Emmanuel Agyemang Badu.

Match Type
Friendly game

Venue
Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Coach
Samson Siasia

Match Line Up
16 Dele AIYENUGBA (Goal Keeper)
6 Chibuzor OKONKWO
2 Dele ADELEYE
5 Efe AMBROSE
3 Elderson ECHIEJILE
14 Fegor OGUDE
10 John Obi MIKEL (Captain)
4 Joel OBI
18 Victor Obinna NSOFOR
20 Solomon OKORONKWO
11 Brown IDEYE

Substitute Bench
7 Chinedu OBASI
12 Ahmed MUSA
15 Ikechukwu UCHE
Emmanuel EKPO
Peter UTAKA

Substitutions
Chinedu OBASI for Solomon OKORONKWO 45
Ahmed MUSA for Joel OBI 45
Ikechukwu UCHE for Victor Obinna NSOFOR 66
Emmanuel EKPO for John Obi MIKEL 70
Peter UTAKA for Brown IDEYE 83

Goals
Higuaín 24
Di María 27
Chinedu OBASI 47
Elderson ECHIEJILE 65 (Own Goal)

Two-time world champions Argentina defeated Nigeria 3-1 to get their pound of flesh after they lost 4-1 to the Super Eagles in Abuja in June.

Argentina enjoyed the possession particularly in the first 45 minutes with start attraction Lionel Messi very central in their revenge win.

He created two of his team’s goals, while Elderson Echiejile put the ball through his own net for the South Americans third goal.

The Super Eagles lacked organisation in the midfield and this allowed Argentina to pile pressure directly on a very experimental back four of Elderson Echiejile, Chibuzor Okonkwo, Efe Ambrose and Dele Adeleye.

Nigeria, who were missing skipper Joseph Yobo and first choice goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, were led by Chelsea midfielder Mikel John Obi.

Argentina controlled things from the first whistle inside a packed Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh, as Nigeria preferred to sit back and defend inside their own area.

World Footballer of the Year Messi enjoyed his free role as he was always behind all the good things by Argentina.

In the 24th minute, Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain controlled a first-time pass by Messi right inside the box before he fired home the opening goal in this rematch.

Two minutes later, Messi robbed Mikel of the ball in the middle of the pitch, before he ghosted past four Nigerian markers. His shot was slowed down by a diving goalkeeper Dele Aiyenugba only for Angel di Maria to easily tap home the rebound for the second goal.

Coach Samson Siasia threw in Ahmed Musa and Chinedu Obasi into the fray for the restart and Nigeria were promptly rewarded three minutes after the break when Obasi fired home off a Mikel cross from the left.

Nigeria went on the back foot boosted by this goal. They were more comfortable on the ball and passed the ball among themselves with confidence.

However, Argentina fought back soon after to get a lucky third goal in the 66th minute.

It was an own goal by Elderson Echiejile just when it seemed the Eagles defence had shut out Higuain inside the box, the ball came off the body of the Israel-based central defender to give the South Americans a two-goal cushion.

US-based playmaker Emmanuel Ekpo finally made his long-awaited Eagles debut as Nigeria now shift attention to their must-win nations Cup qualifier at home to Guinea next month.

Argentina XI: S. Romero, N. Burdisso, M. Demichelis, N. Otamendi, J. Mascherano, M. Rojo , P. Zabaleta, J. Sosa, Á. Di María, G. Higuaín, L. Messi

Subs: S. Agüero, E. Banega, F. Fernández, R. Álvarez, J. Gutiérrez