Championship with a two-nil defeat of arch-rivals Black Satellites in
the first semi-final at the Stade Leopold Sedar Senghor on Wednesday
evening.
Today's victory makes it a record ninth time the Flying Eagles will be
appearing in the final of the AYC.
Nigeria U20 team, the Flying Eagles battled the Black Satellites of
Ghana for a place in the final of the AYC in Dakar.
Ghana fell 1-0 to Mali in their last group match on Sunday to set the
stage for a renewal of the rivalry between the two West African
nations.
Nigeria finished top of Group A with seven points from three games,
while Ghana finished runners-up in Group B with six points.
Nigeria and Ghana had met five times in the competition before the
match in Dakar, with Ghana having the upper hand winning four of the
previous meetings in 1985 (2-1), 1993 (1-0), 1999 (1-0), and 2001
(4-1), while Nigeria won in 2011 (2-1).
Last month, both teams clashed in warm-up games ahead of the AYC.
The first match in Accra ended in a 2-2 draw, while Nigeria won the
second match in Tema 2-0.
Nigeria U20 side began the match with positive intentions and took the
game to their West African opponents.
Usman Saleh had the first chance to score but goalkeeper Michael Sai
was quick out of his line to deny him after two minutes.
Enaholo stopped the dangerous Yaw Yeboah from scoring. It was an early
warning to the Flying Eagles.
Yeboah continued to be the chief-in-crime for Ghana and forced Enaholo
to a one-handed free kick save with a left-footed curler.
The complacent Saleh was handed the chance to shoot on goal for the
Flying Eagles but he was denied by the Black Satellites defence line.
Seven minutes before the half hour mark, the goal that the game needed
arrived for the Flying Eagles.
Musa Muhammed whipped in a superb corner which was headed home by
Enugu Rangers midfielder Obinna Nwobodo.
Two minutes later, the Black Satellites cleared their lines and denied
Awoniyi from smashing home Mustapha Abdullahi's pass from the left.
Yeboah saw his shot blocked by the defence line after a goal mouth
scamble. The youngster also saw his brilliant free kick tipped away by
Enaholo.
After a neat team work, the outstanding Yeboah rattled the cross bar,
with Enaholo diving at full stretch and failing to reach the ball in
the 32nd minute.
The match had the necessary attacking flavour and the fans enjoyed
every bit of the thick of the action in Dakar.
Awoniyi failed to connect a well whipped cross from Muhammed nine
minutes to the end of the first half.
In the 40th minute, the lively Yeboah threaded a 20-metre screamer
which was scrambled away by the reliable Enaholo. The keeper held firm
again from a set-play in the 43rd minute.
The final action of the first half saw Muhammed delivering a free kick
which was inches away from sailing to the net.
Yeboah bombarded his way to the Flying Eagles box and was booked for
stimulation five minutes after resumption.
Ghana searched for the equaliser and tried to commit the Nigerians to
making blunders.
Patrick Asmah flashed a cross to the dangerous area of the Flying
Eagles, but the ball was well dealt with by Bello Zaharadeen.
Substitute Ibrahim Abdullahi was complacent in front of goal when he
was set-up by his team mate.
Captain Muhammed put the icing on cake for the Flying Eagles when he
was brought down. The right-back dispatched the 72nd minute penalty,
his 4th goal of the tournament.
Nwobodo went on a solo run and delivered a low drive which saw Sai
scrambling in the 81st minute.
How they started:
Flying Eagles XI: Enaholo,Muhammed, Abdullahi, Bello, Omego, Ifeanyi,
Idowu, Matthew, Nwobodo ,Saleh,Awoniyi
Ghana XI: Sai, Bempah, Asmah, Aidoo, Adjei, K.Yeboah, Attobrah,
Aboagye, Kassim, Tetteh, Y.Yeboah
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