By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
Nigeria’s Super Eagles on Sunday morning start life under a new Head Coach Jose Peseiro with a disappointing 2-1 loss to Mexico in a prestige international friendly match in Texas United States of America (USA).
The match played at the AT & T Stadium in Dallas, Texas on Saturday night was the first game the Super Eagles will play under the new Portuguese gaffer Peseiro and unfortunately it ended in defeat, no thanks to Captain William Troost-Ekong own goal which gifted Peseiro a first defeat in his first game in charge as the coach of the former African Champions.
Mexico who dominated most part of the match could have won by a larger margin but for their profligacy and good goalkeeping from Francis Uzoho.
Santiago Gimenez gave the Mexicans the lead in the first half before Cyriel Dessers opened his account for the Super Eagles with a header to equalise for Nigeria in the second half following good work by Calvin Bassey.
However, the Mexicans had the last laugh as Troost-Ekong wrapped up the win for them with an own goal.
Nigeria had eight shots on goal compared to Mexico’s 12, while Uzoho made four saves as against Cota’s one.
Meanwhile, for the Super Eagles; Mexico’s El Tri have become their albatross. They have failed to beat the team after six encounters. The worse being the 4-0 bashing of last year.
The El Tri, dainty, cohesive, coherent and egged on by over 52,000 roaring spectators in the largest covered arena in the world, bossed the opening minutes with their crisp passes, awesome positional play and nonchalant telepathy.
In this pulsating period, they were able to shoot ahead after 13 minutes when Santiago Gimenez found himself all alone with goalkeeper Francis Uzoho and steered home despite Uzoho’s valiant efforts to keep the ball away.
Onslaught after onslaught led to several opportunities for the El Tri, but Uzoho and the Nigeria rearguard, with Semi Ajayi, William Ekong and Chidozie Awaziem kept the wolves off the door.
It was to the consternation of the overwhelming Mexican support and bench, led by Coach Gerardo Martino, when Nigeria equalized in the 54th minute, after Calvin Bassey’s superb in-swinger was nodded home by Dessers, with goalkeeper Rodolfo Cota scrambling in vain.
But the Eagles, while searching for a winner, conceded an unfortuitous own goal in the 56th minute, as Ekong swept into his own while trying to clear the ball from danger.
Home –based professionals Sani Faisal, Victor Mbaoma, Chiamaka Madu and Ishaq Kayode who came in after the first 45 minutes, also gave good account of themselves.
However, Peseiro will have another opportunity to redeem himself with the Eagles as they are scheduled to fly to New Jersey this Sunday afternoon ahead of Thursday’s clash with Ecuador at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison.
