Reggae Boyz Pay The Penalty as Nigeria Score Unity Cup Hat-trick
Silverware eludes Jamaica head coach Steve McClaren after shootout defeat in England
Dwayne Atkinson’s missed spot-kick gifted Nigeria their third Unity Cup crown in London yesterday.
The Cavalier SC striker was among the trio especially drafted into the squad for the all-important final. He appeared as a substitute for Ramarn Burrell on the hour-mark, but became Jamaica’s fall guy.
Atkinson was the only player unable to convert his opportunity, as Jamaica fell 5-4 in the penalty shootout following an entertaining 2-2 stalemate.
Despite an Afro-Caribbean carnival experience from smiling supporters inside the stands at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium, the action on the pitch was not as friendly. It became a bruising battle from the first whistle.
Former England boss Steve McClaren had kept the same Jamaica starting line-up that overcame gutsy Trinidad & Tobago 3-2 on Tuesday’s Unity Cup semi-final.
Squad newcomers Atkinson, Warner Brown (Arnett Gardens) and Malik Mothersille (Peterborough United) were all benched, but each made a second-half appearance.
Eric Chelle, tackling only his fourth match since being appointed Nigeria manager in January, handed debuts to wing-back Felix Agu and Brentford’s 19-year-old defender Benjamin Frederick.
Yet he was without Nigeria’s talisman Ahmed Musa, who cited personal reasons for leaving the team’s camp in London. It transpired that the Super Eagles captain went to get married for a fourth time on Friday.
Nigeria, who beat Ghana 2-1 on Wednesday, exploded into action and deserved to break the deadlock after nine minutes.
Wilfred Ndidi hoisted the ball from the halfway line to Cyriel Dessers in the box, who squared for unmarked Moses Simon to slot into the bottom right corner. The Jamaica defence were left flat-footed by the polished move, offering no protection for keeper Shaquan Davis.
The Boyz levelled matters just three minutes later. Renaldo Cephas soared down the left wing, outpaced his marker and sent a telling cross across the jam-packed penalty area. Everyone missed the ball except Charlton Athletic forward Kaheim Dixon, who made no mistake with the gaping goalmouth at his mercy.
A spectacular strike from Samuel Chukweze restored Nigeria’s lead on 53 minutes. The AC Milan winger perplexed four defenders with dazzling footwork, before rifling the ball into the bottom right corner.
Ten minutes later the Boyz equalised, Cephas’ cross from the right flank was powerfully directed past stunned keeper Stanley Nwabali.
It came as no surprise that the ill-tempered clash moved to the lottery of a penalty shootout.
Jamaica would surely have fancied their chances, having already dispatched two spot-kicks to see off Dwight Yorke’s Trinidad & Tobago.
Richard King, who produced the winner against the Soca Warriors, made no mistake with another drive into the top right corner to put Jamaica ahead.
Kelechi Iheanacho equalised by sending the keeper the wrong way, with Issac Hayden repeating the feat to put the Boyz 2-1 up. Simons levelled and Jamaica’s recalled Ravel Morrison restored the lead.
Then the drama unfolded. Tolu Arokodare was fortunate to make it 3-3 as his effort went in off the post and past Davis.
Up stepped Atkinson with the opportunity to put Jamaica 4-3 ahead. The 23-year-old scooped his shot onto the crossbar, with the ball bouncing over the target to send the Nigeria fans wild with excitement.
McClaren was forced to watch the tense finale to the invitational tournament from his dugout, aware that the Africans’ physicality had already played a large part in the contest.
Bruno Onyemaechi made it 4-3 to Nigeria, Jamaica captain Amari’i Bell squared the shootout, with Christantus Uche earning Nigeria glory with his spot-kick.
The Super Eagles had beaten Jamaica 1-0 in the inaugural Unity Cup in 2002, and two years later successfully defended their trophy by beating Northern Ireland 1-0.
It was not to be third time lucky for the Boyz, who fielded their fringe players and saw their five-match unbeaten run halted.
JAMAICA: Davis – Bell, King, Holgate, Lembikisa (Ming, 46) – Palmer (Morrison, 75), Hayden, Russell (Brown, 83) – Cephas, Dixon (Mothersille, 60), Burrell (Atkinson, 60). Subs: Cover, Williams, Young, Green, McCalla, Leigh, Chambers.
NIGERIA: Nwabali – Agu (Onyemaechi, 83), Ogbu, Frederick, Ismail – Tella (Arokodare, 65), Ndidi, Onyeka – Simon, Dessers (Uche, 75), Chukwueze (Iheanacho, 84). Subs: Ajayi, Daniel, Junior, Sikiru, Ugwueze, Saviour, Abubakar.
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