The caretaker coach of the senior national team of Nigeria took a lot of people by surprise when he handed a debut to Ihefu of Tanzania defender Benjamin Tanimu from the start in the team’s 2-1 win over Ghana in yesterday’s international friendly game.

Tanimu who was called up to the team for the first time was surprisingly picked ahead of the vice captain of the team Kenneth Omeruo. He was played as the right sided centre back in the team’s 3-5-2 formation for the game.

He didn’t look out of place and crafted Nigeria’s best chance of the first half with a sublime over the top pass. His all round performance was decent for the period he was on and Finidi was asked about his assessment of the 21 year old former Insurance of Benin defender, and why he started ahead of Omeruo.

“He (Tanimu) is a player that I wanted while he was still at Bendel Insurance but it didn’t work out. So with all the injuries that we had, we had to look for a player that can substitute and it came to my mind to invite him and he is doing so well for his club in Tanzania. So why not?”, he said at the post match presser.

“Not bad being his first time, it’s not easy wearing that national team colors but on the overall I will give him credit. It’s not a bad one for the first time wearing that jersey to be there up and doing is a great thing you know.

“In training Kenneth had a knock so I think he couldn’t go. We will rest him for the next match that was the reason”, he concluded.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The interim head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Finidi George has explained the formation his team used in the 2-1 win over Ghana in yesterday’s international friendly game in the Morrocan city of Marrakesh, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Finidi who was assistant to former coach Jose Peseiro who left upon the expiration of his contract last month, took charge of the team for the first time and in their first game since finishing second at the Africa Cup of Nations.

During the AFCON, the team played with a three central defenders and yesterday they used the same number at the back, but Finidi was quick to stress on the difference in the application of both styles especially in attack.

“We didn’t keep same (formation). I think we play with 3-5-2 but in the AFCON you see it’s only Osimhen and we felt he was doing so much running you know. So at least I wanted some other player to do that. That pair at least will help”, he said at the post match conference.

‘You could see when a player gets the ball there is an opportunity for a pass. So we had to risk it somewhere but we had to get something going forward”, he concluded.

The team will now shift their focus to Monday’s game against Mali at the same venue.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The senior national team of Nigeria got a highly deserved 2-1 win over arch rivals Ghana in an international friendly game played in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Under caretaker coach Finidi George, it was the Super Eagles who drew first blood with Cyriel Dessers converting from the spot after a hand ball incident in the box of Ghana.

His goal in the 38th minutes had Nigeria going into the break leading the tie. Dessers could have bagged a brace or possibly a hat trick if he was decisive in front of goal.

Substitute Ademola Lookman increased the tally for the Super Eagles with six minutes left to play before Jordan Ayew converted from the spot in the 5th minute of time added on for the Ghanaian team, who finished the game with team men following a red card to Jerome Opoku.

We rate the players on parade for the Super Eagles in the game.

Stanley Nwabali – Didn’t have much to do but commanded his area with authority. Quick off his line and very calm with the ball at his feet…..7/10

Chidozie Awaziem – He wasn’t adventurous with the ball always moving it backwards or sideways. Had to rely on Tanimu to bail him out twice when he was caught out for pace…..6/10

Semi Ajayi – Played as the left sided centre back and looked very much at home there. Moved the ball nicely leading to a very high passing accuracy…..7/10

Benjamin Tanimu – The newbie didn’t look out of place. Created Nigeria’s best chance of the first half with a well measured over the top pass. Showed good turn of pace even though his ball distribution was a little bit hasty, been he should be proud of…..7.5/10

Bright Osayi-Samuel – He didn’t go forward like he usually does, hence didn’t get involved in attacking actions. Kept to his job without making any costly error of judgment…..7/10

Bruno Onyemaechi – Playing as a left wing back. His ability to carry the ball helped in transition, his deliveries from promising position wasn’t top notch although he could have gotten an assit but Cyriel Dessers somehow fail to convert from six yards out…..6.5/10

Wilfred Ndidi – The return of the one who never left. Commanded the game brilliantly with neat and tidy passes. Combined nicely with Alex Iwobi and Frank Onyeka…..7.5/10

Alex Iwobi – Played with a freedom he never got at the AFCON. Picked out his passes with authority. Saw a lot of the ball and made very good use of it…..7.5/10

Frank Onyeka – Mopped everything that could possibly be a threat. Didn’t miss a single duel for the period he was on……7/10

Kelechi Iheanacho – A very lively performance operating from the right. Had three efforts on targets. Graciously allowed Dessers to take the spot kick when it waa awarded…..7/10

Cyriel Dessers – Dispatched his spot kick with aplomb, somehow his only telling contribution of the game as he was guilty of missing three clear chances to increase the lead before he was subbed off….. 6.5/10

Substitutes:

Moses Simon – Wasted no time in getting involved upon his introduction. Brought stability to the team’s play and was involved in the passing sequence that led to the second goal of the game….. 7/10

Raphael Onyekida – Strong in tackles and solid in possession. He helped the Super Eagles regain control of the game in the second half….. 6.5/10

Ademola Lookman – Took his goal really well to put the game to bed….. 6/10

The senior national team of Nigeria got a highly deserved 2-1 win over arch rivals Ghana in an international friendly game played in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Under caretaker coach Finidi George, it was the Super Eagles who drew first blood with Cyriel Dessers converting from the spot after a hand ball incident in the box of Ghana.

His goal in the 38th minutes had Nigeria going into the break leading the tie. Dessers could have bagged a brace or possibly a hat trick if he was decisive in front of goal.

Nigeria didn’t however increase their lead until six minutes from full time, when Ademola Lookman finished off a well worked team move to put the Super Eagles two goals up, ten minutes after he was introduced.

Ghana however got a consolation goal when Jordan Ayew converted from the spot in the 5th minute of time added on. A little bit too late as the Super Eagles hanged on to claim a first win under Finidi, who is in temporary charge following the exit of Jose Peseiro upon the expiration of his contract at the end of last month.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The senior national team of Nigeria will later today take on Ghana in an international friendly game in the Morrocan city of Marrakesh in one of the two games they will play during the international break, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Interim coach of the Nigerian team Finidi George will lead the team out for the first time before four days later when they will play Mali in their second game in Morocco. The games are part of their preparation for the resumption of the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

Finidi has already picked the starting lineup for today’s game with Rangers forward Cyriel Dessers picked as the one to be the arrow head of the team in attack. The coach also handed Ihefu FC of Tanzania defender Benjamin Tanimu his maiden cap for the Super Eagles.

Starting XI

23 NWABALI

2 OSAYI

5 TANIMU

6 AJAYI

21 AWAZIEM

13 ONYEMAECHI

8 ONYEKA

17 IWOBI

4 NDIDI (C)

14 IHEANACHO

9 DESSERS

SUBSTITUTES

1. UZOHO 16. OJO

3. COLLINS 7. LOOKMAN 10. UMAR

11. TELLA 12. DELE-BASHIRU

15. SIMON 18. YUSUF 19. ONYEDIKA

21. BASSEY 22. OMERUO

The senior national team of Nigeria will later today take on Ghana in an international friendly game in the Morrocan city of Marrakesh in one of the two games they will play during the international break, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Interim coach of the Nigerian team Finidi George will lead the team out for the first time before four days later when they will play Mali in their second game in Morocco. The games are part of their preparation for the resumption of the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

Finidi has already picked the starting lineup for today’s game with Real Sociedad forward Sadiq Umar picked as the one to be the arrow head of the team in attack. He was preferred ahead of Rangers of Scotland forward Cyriel Dessers.

Like Sadiq, another playing who is marking his return to the team after missing the AFCON due to injury is Wilfred Ndidi. The Leicester City man starts in a three man midfield alongside the duo of Frank Onyeka and Alex Iwobi.

The team will play a flat back four in defence with the quartet of Bright Osayi-Samuel, Jamilu Collins, Semi Ajayi and Calvin Bassey providing the protection for goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali.

Ademola Lookman and Moses Simon completes the rest of the team expected to start today’s game, which will take centre stage by 4pmNigerian time.

Starting XI: Nwabali, Osayi-Samuel, Collins, Bassey, Ajayi, Ndidi, Onyeka, Iwobi, Lookman, Simon, Sadiq.

Osas Mahawi

The senior national team of Nigeria will later today take on Ghana in an international friendly game in the Morrocan city of Marrakesh in one of the two games they will play during the international break, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Interim coach of the Nigerian team Finidi George will lead the team out for the first time before four days later when they will play Mali in their second game in Morocco. The games are part of their preparation for the resumption of the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

Finidi has already picked the starting lineup for today’s game with Real Sociedad forward Sadiq Umar picked as the one to be the arrow head of the team in attack. He was preferred ahead of Rangers of Scotland forward Cyriel Dessers.

Like Sadiq, another playing who is marking his return to the team after missing the AFCON due to injury is Wilfred Ndidi. The Leicester City man starts in a three man midfield alongside the duo of Frank Onyeka and Alex Iwobi.

The team will play a flat back four in defence with the quartet of Bright Osayi-Samuel, Jamilu Collins, Semi Ajayi and Calvin Bassey providing the protection for goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali.

Ademola Lookman and Moses Simon completes the rest of the team expected to start today’s game, which will take centre stage by 4pmNigerian time.

Starting XI: Nwabali, Osayi-Samuel, Collins, Bassey, Ajayi, Ndidi, Onyeka, Iwobi, Lookman, Simon, Sadiq.

Osas Mahawi

A total of 26 players were called up to the camp of the senior national team of Nigeria for their upcoming friendly games against Ghana and Mali respectively in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

In the list released by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) two new players in Benjamin Tanimu and Gabriel Osho made the list, which has reduced to 22 players with injury forcing four players out of the team including the newly invited Osho.

Tanzania based Tanimu is however with the team and have participated in all of their training session in the build up to today’s game against Ghana. The former Bendel Insurance defender who now plays for Tanzanian side Ihefu FC appears to be winning some admirers in the camp of the team.

The second vice captain of the senior national team of Nigeria Kenneth Omeruo gave his opinion on the  newly invited defender Benjamin Tanimu ahead of the 4pm game against Ghana later today.  “He is actually a good player,  a good defender he is has been able to join the group. Hopefully we will have an initiation for him after dinner”, he told the official media channel of the team.

Tanimu will be hoping he gets a look in with looks a bit difficult now with the presence of established defenders of the team like Omeruo, Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey and Chidozie Awaziem.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will later today take on Ghana in the first of the two friendly games they will play in the Morrocan city of Marrakesh during the international break, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

It will be the first time the team will be getting together after the 1-2 defeat to Ivory Coast in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations in February. They will be without head coach Jose Peseiro who left his role upon the expiration of his contract at the end of last month.

Looking back at the defeat, Alex Iwobi who played in all of Nigeria’s game at the tournament including the final lifted the lid on how they couldn’t react to the tactics of the host in the final game. He also explained why he was not at his creative best at the tournament.

“Obviously it does help when you are the host like the fans are dressed in orange bro, it does help, although we weren’t fazed but we just couldn’t get the ball out of our half”, he explained in an interview on the YouTube channel of his pet project named Project 17.

On his game not up to the usual way he operates, the 27 year old explained that it was basically an instruction from the coach for him to be more defensive in tandem with his partner in a two man midfield in Frank Onyeka.

“Playing a game every four games in those conditions (hot weather), it’s not an excuse though but playing a game every four days in those conditions and the role I was asked to do alongside Frank is literally like second balls, run, keep the ball.

“Obviously everybody is like why is Alex not being creative but I was told to keep the ball, manage the ball, change it from left to right, we have wing backs that can support. We’ve got Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze and Moses Simon that can create. Victor is a goal scorer he is lethal. All you have to do Alex and Frank is sit and manage the game”, he further said before going ahead to speak on the poor reaction to the Ivorian set up that led to the defeat in the final game of the tournament.

“Moreso defensively is like when Semi Ajayi or Kenneth Omeruo is heading the ball you have to be there. That’s the role I was told to do. Against the team of Ivory Coast. Who have definitely analyze our games. They have put Kessie (Franck) who is pinning me back but doesn’t want to go to Calvin. So I am dropping deep.

“They have got Serri managing the game, so obviously it’s hard for Victor to control or dictate that one defender or one CDM. Then they have got Fofana on the other side trying to pin Frank back. So we didn’t know how to handle that.

“It’s hard to adjust so we just had to continue doing what we have been doing every game which is being defensive. Coming back, trying to make sure we are solid at the back. It was hard to get to the ball. It was hard to press”, he concluded.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will later today take on Ghana in the first of the two friendly games they will play in the Morrocan city of Marrakesh during the international break, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

It will be the first time the team will be getting together after the 1-2 defeat to Ivory Coast in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations in February. They will be without head coach Jose Peseiro who left his role upon the expiration of his contract at the end of last month.

Looking back at the defeat, Alex Iwobi who played in all of Nigeria’s game at the tournament including the final lifted the lid on how they couldn’t react to the tactics of the host in the final game. He also explained why he was not at his creative best at the tournament.

“Obviously it does help when you are the host like the fans are dressed in orange bro, it does help, although we weren’t fazed but we just couldn’t get the ball out of our half”, he explained in an interview on the YouTube channel of his pet project named Project 17.

On his game not up to the usual way he operates, the 27 year old explained that it was basically an instruction from the coach for him to be more defensive in tandem with his partner in a two man midfield in Frank Onyeka.

“Playing a game every four games in those conditions (hot weather), it’s not an excuse though but playing a game every four days in those conditions and the role I was asked to do alongside Frank is literally like second balls, run, keep the ball.

“Obviously everybody is like why is Alex not being creative but I was told to keep the ball, manage the ball, change it from left to right, we have wing backs that can support. We’ve got Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze and Moses Simon that can create. Victor is a goal scorer he is lethal. All you have to do Alex and Frank is sit and manage the game”, he further said before going ahead to speak on the poor reaction to the Ivorian set up that led to the defeat in the final game of the tournament.

“Moreso defensively is like when Semi Ajayi or Kenneth Omeruo is heading the ball you have to be there. That’s the role I was told to do. Against the team of Ivory Coast. Who have definitely analyze our games. They have put Kessie (Franck) who is pinning me back but doesn’t want to go to Calvin. So I am dropping deep.

“They have got Serri managing the game, so obviously it’s hard for Victor to control or dictate that one defender or one CDM. Then they have got Fofana on the other side trying to pin Frank back. So we didn’t know how to handle that. It’s hard to adjust so we just had to continue doing what we have been doing every game which is being defensive. Coming back, trying to make sure we are solid at the back. It was hard to get to the ball. It was hard to press”, he concluded.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman