BRENTFORD, England, CMC – Nigeria’s Super Eagles won their second Unity Cup title dramatically when they edged Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz 5-4 in penalties at the Gtech Community Stadium here on Saturday.
The final lived up to its billing as a clash of footballing heavyweights.
Nigeria struck first early in the match when winger Moses Simon found the back of the net in the ninth minute, but the lead lasted only three minutes as Jamaica’s Kaheim Dixon pounced to level the score.
The two sides went into the half at 1-1. Still, after the restart, Nigeria again took the lead in the 53rd minute through Samuel Chukwueze, whose clever finish momentarily silenced the Jamaican crowd.
But once again, the Reggae Boyz roared back — this time in the 63rd minute — with Jonathan Russell scoring a powerful equalizer.
Both teams tried their best to find a winner, but neither could find a goal at the end of full and extra time.
Richard King, Issac Hayden, and Ravel Morrison buried their penalties for Jamaica, while Kelechi Iheanacho, Moses Simon, and Tolu Arokodare scored for Nigeria to leave it tied at 3-3.
However, Dwayne Atkinson’s fourth penalty for Jamaica hit the crossbar and sailed over the bars.
Bruno Onyemaechi then scored to put Nigeria up 4-3, and even though Jamaica’s captain Amari’i Bell found the back of the net, Christantus Uche held his nerve to score the winning penalty.
In the third-place match earlier in the day, Ghana defeated Trinidad & Tobago 4-0.
and then 