Following an exciting 2-2 draw with Saudi Arabia in an international friendly last week, the Super Eagles got back to winning ways on Monday evening, following a spirited 3-2 victory against Mozambique at Estadio Municipal de Albufeira.
Mozambique took the game to Nigeria from the first whistle, with Nigeria being penned back inside their own half during the opening stages of the game.
The home side eventually took the lead in the sixth minute, as Geny Catamo opened the scoring with a left-footed shot inside the Super Eagles area.
In an attempt to regroup, Nigeria began seeing more of the ball after going a goal down and looked to build play from defensive positions.
As a result of their pragmatic approach, Nigeria drew level shortly before the 20th minute mark as Terem Moffi got his name on the scoresheet.
Mozambique were often starved of the ball as the Super Eagles began bossing the ball possession count.Â
After making his way down the right-hand flank, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru found Frank Onyeka inside the Mozambique 18-yard-area, as the attacker slotted the ball home with the right-footed shot from the centre of the goal.
Nigeria added a third during stoppage time of the first half after the referee spotted an infringement inside the Mozambique area. Moses Simon made sure to bury the ball into the back of the net.
The Super Eagles were in control of the tie for much of the second half, while the hosts were reduced to sitting back in guarding their backline and goal area.
Faisal Bangal provided Mozambique with a glimmer of hope five minutes before the hour mark, as he too, got his name on the scoreboard.
Assisted by Catamo, the winger found the back of the net while Mozambique gathered some momentum.
However, it was not to be for the home team as Nigeria managed to see out the game with a 3-2 win at Estadio Municipal de Albufeira.
Mozambique: (1) 2 (Catamo 6’ Bangal 55’)
Nigeria: (3) 3 (Moffi 19’, Onyeka 30’, Simon 45+3’)
MOZAMBIQUE: Hernani Siluane (Urrubal 76’), Domingos, Nene (Chamboco 46’), Momade, Guima (Mouimo 76’), Langa, Edmilson, Domingues (Nangy 67’), Catamo, Bangal (Telinho 63’), Witi (Vilanculos 46’)
NIGERIA: Uzoho, Omeruo (Awaziem 61’), Torunarigha (Bassey 75’), Onyemaechi, Osayi-Samuel, Onyedika (Lookman 61’), Aribo (Iwobi 75’), Onyeka, Dele-Bashiru (Sadiq 61’), Moffi (Boniface 75’), Simon