Femi Azeez marked a dream international debut with a brace as Nigeria’s Super Eagles defeated Zimbabwe to secure a place in the Unity Cup final.
The Nigeria national football team forward, who plays for Millwall, quickly put behind the disappointment of missing out in the Championship play-offs by announcing himself on the international stage in style. He opened the scoring inside five minutes before adding a second goal shortly after the hour mark to put Nigeria in firm control.
The win ensures Nigeria maintain their perfect record in the Unity Cup, with the Super Eagles now set to defend the title they have won in all previous editions. They will face either Jamaica or India in Saturday’s final at The Valley Stadium, home of Charlton Athletic.
Tuesday’s match carried added tension, with both sides renewing a rivalry from the CAF World Cup qualifying campaign, where they played out two 1-1 draws.
Zimbabwe had previously been seen as a stumbling block to Nigeria’s World Cup qualification hopes, but the Super Eagles responded emphatically on neutral ground to settle the contest.
The defeat means Zimbabwe will now compete in the third-place playoff scheduled for the same day as the final.
