Nigeria’s Flying Eagles began their title defence at the WAFU Zone B U-20 Championship with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against hosts Ghana.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) reports that the defending champions salvaged a point through a late header from Abdullahi Muhammed in Thursday’s tense Group A opener held at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence, Accra.
The Flying Eagles, who lifted the trophy last year after defeating Ghana in the final, faced stiff resistance from the determined Black Satellites.
Aliyu Zubairu’s boys started brightly and controlled the early exchanges.
Their sharp movement nearly paid off before momentum shifted in favour of the home team.
In the 10th minute, Nigerian captain Daniel Bameyi produced a brilliant goalline clearance to deny Ghana an early lead.
However, Ghana’s pressure yielded results in the 23rd minute when Aziz Misbau pounced on a loose ball to put the hosts in front.
The goal sparked wild celebrations from the home fans, and the Ghanaians looked poised to take revenge for their loss in the 2023 final.
Despite trailing, Nigeria remained composed.
They steadily pushed forward and probed for weaknesses in the Ghanaian defence.
Substitute Divine Oliseh proved influential, forcing a crucial corner kick in the 83rd minute.
From the set-piece, Abdullahi Muhammed rose above his marker and powered a header past the goalkeeper to level the score.
The equaliser stunned the home crowd and gave Nigeria a vital point in the three-team group that also includes Benin Republic.
Both teams pressed for a winner in the closing minutes, but their efforts fell short, and the match ended 1-1.
The Flying Eagles will now face Benin Republic in their next group game, knowing that a victory could secure passage to the semi-finals.
