THE Nigerian U23 team have qualified for the U23 AFCON slated for Egypt in November after they roundly beat their Sudanese counterparts 5-0 at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba on Thursday.
Goals from Taiwo Awoniyi, Ndifreke Effiong (2), Sunday Faleye and Ibrahim Sunusi ensured that Imama Amapakabor-led U23 team progressed to the elimination series proper in Egypt 5-1 on aggregate.
Knowing that they needed to cancel out the 0-1 goal deficit they suffered in the first leg, the U23 team swung into action almost immediately and was rewarded through Awoniyi’s strike in the 10th minute.
It was Sunusi who initiated the process that led to the goal after his shot was spilled onto Awoniyi’s path by Sudanese goalkeeper, Mohammad Al Nour Adam and the Nigerian striker had the simple task of nodding the rebound beyond the goaltender.
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The second goal came in, in the 26th minute through Effiong and he was on hand to tap home the third in the 45th minute after a clever pass from Sunusi.
The fourth and fifth were scored in the 66th and 69th minutes by super-sub, Sunday Faleye and Sunusi.
Faleye’s strike came barely three minutes after he replaced Blessing Olabiran in the 63rd minute.
Sunusi put the icing on the cake with the fifth goal as the U23 ran out 5-0 winner against the North African side.
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