In an exhilarating encounter on Friday evening, the Nigerian national football team, the Super Eagles, clinched a 2-1 victory against Ghana’s Black Stars.

The highly anticipated match saw both teams display their prowess, with Nigeria emerging triumphant with goals in each half.

The Super Eagles opened the scoring in the first half, courtesy of a penalty converted by Cyriel Dessers, followed by a sublime finish from Ademola Lookman of Atlanta. Despite a late penalty goal from Jordan Ayew, which served as a consolation for the 10-man Ghanaian team, Nigeria secured the win.

Fresh off an impressive campaign where they finished as runners-up at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Nigeria faced Ghana without key players such as Victor Osimhen and William Troost-Ekong, who were sidelined due to injuries.

From the onset, the much-changed Super Eagles side dictated the tempo of the game in the Moroccan city of Marrakech.

Despite dominating the early exchanges, Nigeria struggled to find the back of the net until the 37th minute when Dessers converted a penalty after a Ghanaian defender handled the ball.

As the second half commenced, Nigeria maintained their dominance, making few changes to their lineup. Ademola Lookman, substituted in the 73rd minute, made an immediate impact by securing Nigeria’s second goal with a clinical finish from a brilliant cross by Alex Iwobi.

Despite being reduced to 10 men after Jerome Opoku was shown a red card in the 56th minute, Ghana fought bravely and managed to secure a late consolation goal. Jordan Ayew converted a penalty in the 94th minute, reducing the deficit for the Black Stars.

With the victory over Ghana, Nigeria’s focus now shifts to their upcoming friendly match against the Eagles of Mali on Tuesday.

These friendly ties serve as crucial preparation for the Super Eagles ahead of the World Cup qualifiers later in the year.