Nigeria’s Home-based Super Eagles were held to a 2-2 draw by Zanzibar in a keenly contested friendly ahead of the 2024 African Nations Championship on Thursday at the Mau Stadium.
In a bid to fine-tune his squad, head coach Eric Chelle rang the changes, introducing five new faces into the starting XI from the team that featured in Monday’s goalless stalemate.
Akanni Kudus, Egbe Manyo, Malik Jabbar, Vincent Temitope, and Anas Yusuf were all handed starting berths.
Yusuf, the Nigeria Premier Football League top scorer from last season, opened scoring for the Eagles, putting his finishing touch on a well-executed attack.
Remo Stars’ defender Adedayo Olamilekan extended the lead with Nigeria’s second goal, seemingly putting the West Africans in control of the tie.
However, Zanzibar responded with renewed intensity in the second half, finding the net twice to level proceedings and ensure both teams settled for a draw.
The result comes just days after both sides battled to a goalless draw in their earlier friendly at the same venue.
Attention now turns to the tournament proper, as the Home Eagles gear up for their opening Group D encounter against defending champions Senegal at the 15,000-capacity Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar next Tuesday.
Nigeria will then face Sudan at the same venue on Tuesday, August 12, before wrapping up their group campaign against Congo at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday, August 19.