Unity Cup: Super Eagles Target Unity Cup As Summer Diadem, Say Jamaica Must Fall

AFOLABI SAHEED OLAWALE

Cup-holders Nigeria are not looking to take anything for granted in Saturday’s Unity Cup Tournament final duel against the Reggae Boyz of Jamaica at the Charlton Athletic Stadium in London.

Head Coach Eric Chelle has been singing the praises of the squad that hammered Zimbabwe 2-0 in Tuesday’s semi final, and he made it clear on Thursday that he might tweak his playing personnel, tactics, pattern and strategy for Saturday’s encounter against the familiar foes.

The Super Eagles and the Reggae Boyz battled to a 2-2 draw in the final of the same mini-tournament on Saturday, 31st May, 2025, before the Eagles swept to victory 5-4 after penalty shootout to retain the trophy they had won in 2002 and 2004 – the only two times the competition had been held previously.

In its first edition in 2002, the Unity Cup was played by only two teams, with Nigeria defeating Jamaica by a lone goal scored by a former Nigeria U17 team captain James Obiorah. Two years later, the Republic of Ireland joined the two teams, but Nigeria still emerged champions, with Bartholomew Ogbeche emerging the top scorer with three goals.

It was at the 2004 edition that Obafemi Martins made his mark, scoring on his debut for Nigeria.

On Saturday, Coach Chelle is permitted further experimentation with the largely fresh group he has brought to London, with Wrexham FC of England goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo likely to be given the nod to start having kept a clean sheet against the nifty Warriors on Tuesday.

A reassuring rearguard of Chibueze Oputa, Chibuike Nwaiwu, Igoh Ogbu and Obinna Igboke could also be wholly retained, following a commendable outing against the Zimbabweans. It may be recalled that it was at the Unity Cup last year that Igoh Ogbu, who plays for Slavia Prague in the Czech Republic, got his break into the Eagles’ big league.

Tochukwu Nnadi, who played some part in the Super Eagles’ campaign at the last Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco, may again team up with US-based no-nonsense tackler Alhassan Yusuf and former U17 team captain Samson Tijani in the middle, as Terem Moffi, Philip Otele and two-goal hero Femi Azeez run things at the fore.

Cyprus-based goalkeeper Francis Uzoho is also available, as are midfielder Tosin Oyedokun and forwards Owen Oseni and Rafiu Durosinmi who also did not disappoint as substitutes on Tuesday.

Azeez’s self-assured output against Zimbabwe, with two goals to boot in his debut, gladdened the hearts of the technical crew and much is expected of him against a Jamaican side that nearly torpedoed the books last summer. In the event, he became the first debutant to score two goals for the Nigeria senior team since Mathias Obianika did the same in the Eagles’ 4-0 defeat of Burkina Faso 55 years ago.

On Thursday, the Super Eagles trained at the Cray Valley, ahead of Friday’s official training that will hold at The Valley.