Nigeria’s Super Eagles have retained their Unity Cup title following a 5-4 penalty shootout win against Jamaica after 90 minutes of football ended 2-2.
The last time both teams met in the 2004 edition the Super Eagles triumphed 2-0.
Moses Simon and Samuel Chukwueze got the Super Eagles’ first and second goals respectively.
The game saw Werder Bremen full-back Felix Agu, Getafe midfielder Chrisantus Uche and Frederick Benjamin of Brentford make their debuts.
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While Jamaica missed one of their four kicks the Super Eagles converted all their five attempts with Uche scoring the winning spot kick.
Earlier on Saturday, Black Stars of Ghana clinched the third-placed play-off after thrashing Trinidad and Tobago 4-0.
The Super Eagles were deserved winners as they dominated most parts of the game and created more scoring opportunities.
On their part Jamaica were more defensive and relied on counterattacks.
After bossing the early exchanges the Super Eagles took the lead in the ninth minute through Simon who stabbed home Cyriel Dessers’ cross from the right.
But just three minutes later Jamaica equalised thanks to Kaheim Dixon who slammed home a delightful low cross from the left.
In the 53rd minute Chukwueze made it 2-1. The AC Milan forward received a pass from Nathan Tella on the edge of the box, drove into the box and fired a low shot into the bottom corner.
Jamaica clawed their way back into the game again this time on 63 minutes through Jonathan Russell who hammered home a cross again from the left wing after he was left unmarked inside the box.
After the two sides failed to find the winner the game was eventually decided on penalties with Kelechi Iheanacho, Simon, Tolu Arokodare, Bruno Onyemaechi and Uche scoring for the Super Eagles.
By James Agberebi
12 Comments
Chelle will help us build a solid team even if don’t qualify for the world cup……NFF just needs to support him, and hands off player invites
– Uche, Dessers, Arokodare, these trio might replace Boniface, Awoniyi, and Sodiq as options to Osimhen. Terem could still be in the mix.
– Tella would be lucky to be in consideration for future call ups.
– Simon is getting too predictable. A defender just needs to watch his game before the match to neutralize his dribbling runs.
– Agu showed his stuff. Frederick did well for his age and experience. Igho is solid and Sodiq was full of running. But we missed the experience of Ajayi and Aina at the back.
– These games again highlight the importance of Iwobi, Lookman, and Osimhen. But Chukwueze did well transitioning from the middle to the 18.
– Nwabali needs to up his game and he still needs serious competition. He’s been conceeding average 1.5 goals per game in SE matches. Not good.
It’s nice to see that the Super Eagles have an identity under Eric Chelle. They are compact structured and organised.
Sodiq’s lack of pace (and inability to make up for this weakness) was exploited ruthlessly today.
The high line kept by the central defence didn’t help
Onyeka is workaholic. He is the henchman of the midfield.
Fredrick and Ogbu as a duo didn’t really gel and they lacked leadership. But, individually, they were spectacular.
Felix Agu had some shaky moments. He wasn’t physical enough and he misplaced some passes. That said, it was an impressive debut with his neat touches and offensive drives.
This was Chukwueze’s tournament to be honest. He flicked the ball over an opponent on one occasion thereby injecting flair into the the Super Eagles’ game. He showed pace, power and precision to score his goal and he proved to be a credible attacking midfielder with quality ball control, marauding runs, forward passes and credible dribbles. Chukwueze was simply awesome.
Ndidi was assured in his play and very sturdy in defensive midfield. But, make no mistake, Onyeka does most of the dirty work.
Cyriel Dessers was impressive as a support striker with is troublesome passes and excellent sense of positioning.
Moses Simon needs to reinvent himself because he is becoming too predictable. That said, he still makes defenders work for their money.
Nathan Tells was decent though I struggled to recall any wow moments from him. He was competent without being exceptional.
Nwabili is decent but perhaps he could be a bit shaper.
That Uche is a bully. Power, penetration and purpose defined his play.
With the way Chelle goes about his business, this businesslike approach of the Super Eagles will serve the team well for the remaining assignments in 2025.
For me I think nwabali is getting too complacent,he thinks he has arrived, let’s give okoye a chance, this guy is the goalkeeper we need, to put Stanley on his toes
At this point we don’t need to think too much about Osimhen’s deputy, Dessers clearly stands out. I think it’s Osimhen and Dessers. The rest can fight for the 3 option.
Kel or wat? Sharaap dere and leave Nwabli alone, he is head and shoulder above your love crush Okoye de basket lol
As for Sodiq he was de weakest link of all the home base – He should’nt be call up again or maybe call up to sit on bench until he can got better, becoz he is too weak an slow he cost Nigreain a lot in de 2 games, he is very weak as a right back, and de Jamerican guy hu is not even playing in any top league skind hin twice and both goal for de Jamerican comes from dere, he ees too slow and Nigreain team cannot afford to have a slow man like hin dere becoz the opponent wii target hin and score many goal from dat side.
Please leave story! Kwasia!
Great game of football today. Chelle have finally get a good hold of his team. SuperEagles will be on the rise under Eric Chelle.
Fredrick is a future SuperEagles captain in waiting. He reminds me of the great Stephen Keshi. Elegant and composed on the ball. Ogbu is here to stay he reminds me of the great Taribo and Agu looks the part. He’s better than Bruno at the left back.
It was an inexperienced defensive set up and boy they put up a solid performance. Sodiq lacks the pace to keep the Jamaican winger at bay, but his crosses are exceptional. Better going forward but somewhat a liability when defending.
Chukwueze oh dear! He reinvented himself in this tournament. Ndidi and Onyeka double pivot is okay. However, with the emergence of Christantus Uche we now have a Yaya Toure that can play anywhere across the midfield and attack.
Tella was decent although not exceptional. At least he gave an assist in an area we’ve lacked finesse in the past.
We need to learn how to keep leads. Conceding unnecessary goals or momentarily loss of concentration after we’ve scored is causing us to lose vital points in important matches. We need to be more compact after scoring to keep the lead.
Overall, a fantastic tournament to see some fringe players and be ready for the challenges ahead. We now have a decent coach and a pool of players to select from
VAMOS ARRIBBA SUPEREAGLES!!!! FLY LIKE AN EAGLE INTO THE FUTURE.
Let me start by congratulating the team on a job well done.
I think Ismaila Sodiq had a good run. As a right wing back, he provides width and his crosses are usually of a high quality. It’s unfortunate that all the goals we shipped in this competition came from his wing. Sodiq will grow and get better with time.
Kudos to Chukwueze. He has played that number 10 role admirably, and the new found confidence allows him to do well anywhere he is deployed in the front line.
The stand out player for me was Fredericks. Incredible to think he wasn’t even in the squad this time last week! He gate crashes training, plays himself into the starting eleven, and had quite a game! We just found ourselves one heck of a player in this lad. His combo with Ogbu was a bit light experience wise, but there is no doubting the technical ability of these two. We did miss Ajayi’s calm and experience.
In the future, I would resume the Ajayi -Ogbu partnership in the heart of the defense, but I would move Fredericks to the DM role in place of Papa Daniel, while Ndidi and Onyeka continue as central midfielders. Let me emphasize here that Papa Daniel was not bad. He’s a good player to have as a sub in the team.
I think Agu had a decent debut. But is he better than Bruno? The jury is out on that one. I’ll say it’s good to have two decent left backs.
As for Kolawole, I think he’s finally going to be getting the recognition he deserves. If dem no invite am for the next list peren, they will have to explain the reason to irate Naija fans.
Nwabali needs to calm down. His temper makes him vulnerable and prone to silly mistakes. However, his competitive, never-say-die attitude is a big positive. I’m glad that we have him and Okoye as goalies.
My final words are for coach Chelle. He’s obviously done well. He’s won his first trophy for Nigeria. However, he needs to be better with his substitutions. In recent games, he made subs that seemed to leave his team weaker. His subs against Ghana collapsed the midfield, and allowed Ghana back in the game. Going forward, substitutions should keep the advantage with us, not hand it to our opponent.
The midfield is obviously a key area for this team. We seem to do well when our midfield is adequately manned, but having just 2 midfielders seems to weaken the team. Contrast this with when we had 3 midfielders against Ghana. We dominated the game, then sacrificed a midfielder, and the balance of power shifted to Ghana. Whether we go with 2 or 3 midfielders in a game is up to the coach. However, the lesson is clear. Control the midfield, control the game.
The starting 11 gave their best and showed flashes of cohesiveness. Chukzy seems to contribute more playing the free role but needs to cut his excessiveness and wrong decision making on fast breaks. Onyeka though played well but needs to improve the way he tracks back. Ndidi shooting is disappointing.
Ismail tried but his lack of speed let him down.
Tella, Agu, and Simon
combination is really impressive.
Agu and Tella would be great addition to the team
Frederick is MOTM.
For now.. Semi, Ogbu, Frederick, Bassey, Ekong, and Osho are the options for CD.
If the Unity Cup did anything at all, it held up a mirror to our footballing decision-makers and said: “See what you’ve been ignoring?”
Let’s start with Frank Onyeka. For those of us who screamed blue murder when he was shockingly omitted from the Super Eagles squad during those crucial World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe, this tournament only validated our concerns. Those who defended the selection of Papa Daniel over Onyeka can now eat their humble pie with a fork and knife — cold.
In terms of pure efficiency, bravery, and tactical discipline, Onyeka is arguably the most effective defensive midfielder we have right now — even ahead of Wilfred Ndidi. He doesn’t just run; he destroys opposition rhythm, recycles possession, and maintains the tempo. So, why on earth would anyone in their right tactical mind drop such a gem for an untested, inexperienced player like Papa Daniel in critical World Cup qualifiers? It wasn’t just a gamble — it was a monumental selection blunder. The kind that tells you more about the selectors than the player.
Now to Cyriel Dessers. Nigeria owes this man an apology — a loud, unapologetic one.
How this monster of a striker has been consistently sidelined for so long, despite doing all the right things at club and international levels, remains one of the most confusing episodes in recent Super Eagles history. Dessers doesn’t just score — he destroys defensive structures, presses with intelligence, links play beautifully, and offers a strong physical presence in the final third.
From Heracles to Feyenoord, Cremonese to Rangers, Dessers has always delivered. And even in the green and white, his 3 goals and several assists in just 8 games have shown his quality. At the Unity Cup, he wasn’t just scoring — he was assisting, leading the line, creating space, bullying defenders, and making a strong case as both complement and backup to Osimhen.
Yet, we kept choosing from the carousel of Umar Sadiq, Paul Onuachu, Terem Moffi, and Taiwo Awoniyi — none of whom have matched Dessers’ club consistency and national team influence over the same period. In fact, since his first invite in 2020, Dessers hasn’t featured in a single major tournament. That’s not just unfair — it’s heartbreaking.
Let’s not sugarcoat it: Sodiq Ismaila is not ready for the Super Eagles, especially not as a right-back. His crossing ability might catch the eye, but football isn’t just about aesthetics — it’s about efficiency on both ends of the pitch.
Against Jamaica in the Unity Cup final, he was targeted, teased, and torn apart by Renaldo Cephas. That first goal we conceded? Straight from the “Sodiq Ismaila School of Slow Marking.” The man tracked back like he had bricks in his boots. No pace, no positional awareness, and minimal defensive confidence. In a high-stakes international game, that’s an open wound.
Compared to Bright Osayi-Samuel or Ola Aina, Sodiq is miles behind. If we’re serious about defending against quality opposition, he should not even be Plan C — not until he improves significantly on his core defensive duties.
All said and done, credit to Coach Eric Chelle. He’s brought an identity to this team — a clearer tactical structure and attacking purpose. You can see the intention behind the play. But he must guard against external influences in team selection. Let the meritocracy continue. Let the best players play. Let experience and club form guide the process.
Because while this Unity Cup brought out a lot of positives, it also exposed areas where sentiment, favoritism, and flawed scouting have hurt us.
The squad isn’t complete, but the trajectory is promising. Next stop — Russia. Let’s hope we see the return of the big boys, and more importantly, selection based on form, fit, and functionality — not politics.
Super Eagles fans are watching. And this time, we’re taking notes.
“…..Those who defended the selection of Papa Daniel over Onyeka can now eat their humble pie with a fork and knife — cold…..” LMAOooo. If you want to talk to Greenturf, talk to him directly….LMAooo.
When we say these homebased players arent ready for the highest level of football, they will think we just hate them.
In a league when Ahmed Musa still breezes past defenders like Yamal, why is anyone surprised Sodiq lacks pace…..LMAOoo. An old man still calling himself a 21-year-old. He met a real 25-year-old and got badly exposed.
Like you said before….this Unity Cup validates all the previous claims and cries of some of us. In a tournament where we had debutants from home and abroad alike, it was still the foreign-based players who put up the most outstanding performances……LMAOooo. As they say in local parlance….O tan abi o tan…???
I just hope the NFF would just henceforth hand off player imposition on Eric Chelle and let the man be. There are coaches and there are coaches…..Chelle is 1000 miles ahead of Finidi and that’s a fact…!!!! Competence is not bought in the market, it is earned….earned from years of experience at top levels of the game.
I will advice all the home based players be drafted to CHAN that starts in a few months to gather the needed experience at playing at a higher level.
They are not needed at the moment in the Super Eagles.