Iheanacho's penalty miss costs Nigeria against Tunisia

Iheanacho's penalty miss costs Nigeria against Tunisia as the Super Eagles were held to a 1-1 draw - Full match highlights

 

The Super Eagles showing solidarity to the ongoing protests in Nigeria against police brutality after going in front against Tunisia in Austria on Tuesday (Photo credit: Twitter)

Tuesday night was a great opportunity for the Super Eagles of Nigeria to get back on winning ways after the weekend loss to Algeria, but it wasn’t to be.

 

Gernot Rhor led the Super Eagles of Nigeria to their second friendly in four days at the Jacques Lemans Arena in Austria against the Cartage Eagles of Tunisia, it was the eighth official meeting between the two sides with Tunisia yet to beat Nigeria in regulation time on head to head records.

 

Gernot Rhor rang few changes to the side that lost to Algeria on Friday with Paul Onuachu making way for Leicester City forward, Kelechi Iheanacho, Tyron Ebuehi was dropped for Akpoduma and Omeruo for Troost Ekong; there was also a place upfront for captain Ahmed Musa and the West African side were quick off the blocks with neat exchanges and fine runs.

 

It didn’t take too long for Nigeria to get on the score sheet, Samuel Chukwueze’s drop down for Kelechi Iheanacho was well received by the former youth international, he turned inside to his left and slotted to the top corner, his first goal in three years in the Super Eagles’ colors and the celebration that followed epitomized the calls for an end to police brutality in Nigeria.

 

Moments later, Alex Iwobi’s intelligent lob to Ahmed Musa earned Nigeria an opportunity to take the lead after the skipper was hacked down by Farouk Moustapha in the Tunisian goal, however, the penalty was saved off the feet of Iheanacho as Mustapha dived well to the left to stop the tame effort and keep the score line as it was.

 

Nigeria had other chances to score but Akpoguma’s header from Simon’s corner was cleared off the line and the Tunisia defense stood resolute; on the stroke of halftime, Tunisia were wheeling away in celebration after Mohammed Draeger scored his first international goal from a simple tap in after some neat works on the by-line.

 

The second half was a game of end to end, Nigeria made changes, Awaziem, Dessers and Chidera were introduced and it took some defiant defending from Tunisia to deny Dessers late on while Okoye was alert to tip over an intelligent lob at the death from Tunisia to keep the score line intact. The game ended 1:1, the sixth stalemate between the two countries in history.

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