Nigeria Labour To First AYC Win In Nigeria

[Folami David]

African Youth Championship (AYC) holders, Nigeria worked themselves hard to a lone goal win over Gabon in Oran on Wednesday.
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Dolphins' midfielder, Abduljeleel Ajagun scored the only goal of the game that kept Nigeria's hope of a semifinal place at the African Under-20 Championship in Algeria.
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Gabon started stronger and almost got in front on five minutes when Axel Meye's 20-yard free kick stung the palm of Jonah Usman.
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But when Nigeria's Flying Eagles broke out for the first time in the game inside the opening 20 minutes, Olarenwaju Kayode was upended in the box by Gabon goalkeeper, Florent Ngouazela.
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Nigeria captain, Ajagun expertly dispatched the resultant spot kick by sending Ngouazela the wrong way to put his team in front.
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The goal galvanised John Obuh's men into dictating the game with crisp passes.
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In the 23rd minute, Gabon were let off as Moses Orkuma's strike from the edge of the box crashed against the upright of the post after a great interchange of play.
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Nigeria's search for a second goal saw them miss two quick-fire scoring chances on 30 and 31 minutes.
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First, Edafe Egbedi horribly shot wide inside the six yard box after a low cross from the left channel by Mohammed Aliyu.
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Then Kayode got away from his marker easily, squared for Chidi Osuchukwu who missed from close range.
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Gabon had one opportunity just before the break when Riche Mvele tried a 35-yard strike which just skipped above the Nigerian goal by inches.
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The business end of the game started quite leggy before Kayode failed to connect Ajagun's well- weighted cross into Gabon's goal area which just bubbled wide by an inch.
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Ajagun again turned creator in the 66th minute when he turned inside of his marker to play Osuchukwu into the box but the winger could only shoot straight at the Gabonese keeper.
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Everything creative in the Nigerian team appeared to start with their captain, Ajagun who threaded the ball into Kayode's path but his snap shot was tipped away by Ngouazela.
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Kayode's pace caught the Gabonese defence on the break with eight minutes to full time but the striker ran himself into a tight angle and could only watch as his effort went agonisingly wide.
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In added time, Usman nearly threw away Nigeria's lead when he spilled Gael Mayoungou's but Yoann Nono could not benefit from the rebound as Obuh's men held on for an important win.
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Nigeria are now second in Group B of the AYC on three points and confront DR Congo this Saturday in a bid to secure a spot in the last four and qualify for the Fifa Under-20 World Cup in Turkey.

[Shola Sholaz]

I watched and i wasn't impressed with their play even though they won. Let us hope they clinch a win in their next game to ensure their qualification