Christian Pyabara fired a brace as the Flying
Eagles came from behind to beat Egypt U-20 team 3-1 in a warm-up game in Cairo
on Wednesday.
The match at the Degla Stadium outside Cairo was
staged to prepare both teams for next month’s African Youth Championship in
Algeria.
The hosts took the lead against the run of play
in the 50th minute through a header by Ibrahim El-Sayed El-hadad off a corner.
But the Flying Eagles fought back thereafter and
deservedly drew level in the 61st minute when Sharks forward Pyabara finally
smash home a rebound after his first attempt came off the post.
Skipper Abduljaleel Ajagun then extended
Nigeria’s lead in the 77th minute as he jabbed home from inside the box after
yet another flowing team build-up from the right.
Pyabara then made it 3-1 in the 81st minute when
he headed home a delightful cross from the left by Kingsley Madu.
Ajagun could have widened the margin eight
minutes from time but somehow he missed in front of a begging net.
In the first half, the Flying Eagles were by far
the better team and created the better chances but could not put any away.
A fifth minute header by Ikechukwu Okorie off a
Pyabara corner missed narrowly and on 15 minutes, Ajagun’s shot appeared to
have crossed the goal line when it came off the underside the crossbar but it
was not given.
In the 35th minute, the lively Pyabara set up
Ajagun, but his final effort missed by a whisker.
Egypt’s best opening in the first half was after
seven minutes, when goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel made a meal of a clearance and
Ahmad El-Sayid Ya’afat broke through only for Chizoba Amaefule to clear off the
goal line.
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