Super Eagles defender Igoh Ogbu has expressed confidence that Nigeria will successfully defend their Unity Cup title after the team booked a place in the final with a convincing 2-0 win over Zimbabwe at The Valley in London on Tuesday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Ogbu, who produced a commanding display at the heart of Nigeria’s defence on a night when Chelle handed eight players their international debuts, acknowledged the game was harder than the result implied.
“It was a very tough game, especially in the second half, but we thank God for the victory. It was not easy at all,” Ogbu said.
“It went well in the end. The boys did well, they pushed hard, and now we have to enjoy the win and focus on the next game.”
The Slavia Prague centre-back made clear that the squad are fully aware of what is expected of them going into the final.
“We have to keep our heads straight, keep working hard and continue doing our best because it is a privilege to play for Nigeria,” Ogbu said.
“Now that we are in the final, we understand what we need to do. We will recover and prepare well because the reason we came here is to win and retain the title.”
Debutant Femi Azeez was the night’s standout performer, scoring twice to secure the victory. The Millwall winger broke the deadlock in the sixth minute with a composed low finish before tapping in a second in the second half after captain Terem Moffi’s quick break and cutback set him up perfectly.
In goal, Arthur Okonkwo marked his debut with a clean sheet, though he was rarely tested as Zimbabwe, despite finishing with more possession and more shots, consistently failed to convert their opportunities into genuine threats.
Nigeria will now face either Jamaica or India in the final, with the two sides meeting in the second semi-final.
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