African champions the Super Eagles of Nigeria as expected
beat minnows Tahiti 6-1 in their Confederations Cup opening Group B
match on Monday in Belo Horizonte, but they were given a run for their
money for a while.
Nnamdi Oduamadi claimed a hat-trick as Nigeria shook off the jet lag
to thrash minnows Tahiti 6-1 in their opening Confederations Cup game.
The African champions only arrived in Brazil 36 hours before the game
after a row over bonus payments, but they could even afford some
wasteful finishing as they leapfrogged world champions Spain to the top
of Group B.
It was a predictably chastening experience for Tahiti, ranked 138th
in the world, but they were nonetheless
able to celebrate when Jonathan
Tehau headed in their first ever goal at a high-profile international
event.
Tehau’s goal, early in the second half, trimmed Nigeria’s lead to 3-1
after a deflected Uwa Echiejile shot and a pair of goals from Oduamadi
had put Nigeria in command.
However, the south Pacific islanders’ hopes of a famous comeback were
dashed as Tehau put through his own goal before Oduamadi and Echiejile
added further goals to give Stephen Keshi’s men a spring in their step
ahead of Thursday’s crucial showdown with Uruguay.
A sparse crowd of just 20,187 made their way to the newly renovated
Estadio Mineirao but they were vocal in their support of Tahiti, who
registered the game’s first shot on target through Vincent Simon.
Fortune deserted the underdogs moments later, however.
After the ball bounced off referee Joel Aguilar, Echiejile launched a
speculative shot that deflected off Tehau and captain Nicolas Vallar
and ricocheted past Tahiti goalkeeper Xavier Samin.
Oduamadi added two more, neatly side-stepping a pair of challenges
and sweeping home in the 10th minute, before tapping in his second when
Samin spilled a low cross from Ahmed Musa.
Nigeria made heavy work of putting the game to bed though, with Musa
miskicking in front of an open goal before Anthony Ujah and Sunday Mba
both allowed Samin to save when clean through on goal.
Tahiti had already seen their one professional player, Marama
Vahirua, drive a shot narrowly over, and they threatened to make things
interesting as Steevy Chong Hue headed wide from a Ricky Aitamai cross.
Musa miscued again from 12 yards early in the second half, before the
goal that Tahiti had been threatening arrived in the 54th minute.
The honour fell to Tehau, who headed in a deep corner kick from
Vahirua at the back post and then led his ecstatic team-mates in a
canoe-paddling celebration.
The goal also sparked jubilation on the bench, coach Eddy Etatea
leaping from the dug-out with his fists in the air, but Tehau’s day took
a turn for the worse in the 68th minute when he inadvertently toed the
ball into his own goal to restore Nigeria’s three-goal advantage.
Oduamadi tucked in a cross from substitute Brown Ideye to complete
his hat-trick in the 76th minute, with Echiejile adding a sixth shortly
after as Tahiti’s reserves of resistance finally ran dry.
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