AFTER WHAT WAS a sometimes feisty Unity Cup final at the Gtech Community Stadium in Brentford, the Reggae Boyz failed to come from behind for a third time in the game, falling 5-4 on penalties to Nigeria following a hard-fought 2-2 draw in regulation time.
In the opening match of the double header, Ghana defeated Trinidad and Tobago 4-0 to claim the Unity Cup’s third-place spot.
Nigeria’s hold on the Unity Cup title was confirmed with debutant Christantus Uche’s penalty in the shoot-out which followed regulation-time goals from Moses Simon in the 10th minute and Samuel Chukwueze in the 53rd.
Those goals could not keep the Reggae Boyz out of the mix with equalisers coming in the 12th minute through Kaheim Dixon and Jon Russell in the 3rd.
In a clash of football and culture, Nigeria took the lead in the opening 10 minutes of play as a well-timed run from Simon saw him sneaking just inside his marker to head home a lofted pass from Cyriel Dessers.
The Nigerian lead would not last long, however, as the Boyz pulled level just two minutes later.
Picking up a ball out wide, Renaldo Cephas showed a swift turn of pace to get past the Nigerian defence before slotting a low-driven cross into the path of Dixon, who made no mistake.
Much like they did in the first half, Nigeria would take the lead within the opening minutes of the whistle, this time through Chukwueze.
The AC Milan man weaved his way through a number of bodies in the box before striking a low drive, just out of the reach of goalkeeper Shaquan Davis.
Cephas would again turn provider for the Boyz with another flash of brilliance out wide.
The winger proved too much for Nigeria’s Ismaila Sodiq, getting by the right back to pick out Russell, who finished from close range.
Unable to find a decider in regulation time, the match went to the dreaded penalty shootout where Nigeria came out victors.
Dwayne Atkinson, looked on in horror as his fourth-round penalty careened off the bar and out of play, giving the Nigerians the ascendancy.
There was to be no comeback this time around.
Uche took the invitation, striking gold to give his team the win.
The Boyz will now turn their attention to the upcoming World Cup qualifiers where they will face an away date against the British Virgin Islands on June 7 before hosting Guatemala at the National Stadium on June 10.
They will not have much time to rest after that, with their Concacaf Gold Cup campaign beginning on June 16.
The Reggae Boyz are in Group C where they play Panama, Guatemala, and Martinique.
