Femi Azeez enjoyed a dream start to his international career on Tuesday night after scoring twice to inspire Nigeria national football team to victory over Zimbabwe national football team and secure a place in the Unity Cup final.
The Millwall FC forward wasted little time making his mark, opening the scoring within the opening five minutes before striking again shortly after halftime to seal a convincing win for the Super Eagles.
Azeez’s impressive display came just days after the disappointment of missing out on promotion through the English Championship play-offs, but the forward quickly shifted focus by delivering a standout performance on the international stage.
Nigeria’s victory ensures the Super Eagles remain unbeaten in Unity Cup history as they continue their bid to retain the trophy they have won in all three previous editions of the competition.
They will now face either Jamaica national football team or India national football team in Saturday’s final at The Valley, home of Charlton Athletic FC.
The match had attracted added attention because of recent meetings between the two nations during the CAF World Cup qualifying campaign.
Zimbabwe frustrated Nigeria in both qualifying fixtures, with the teams drawing 1-1 on each occasion — results that significantly damaged the Super Eagles’ hopes of automatic qualification.
That lingering frustration appeared to motivate Nigeria, who dominated large portions of Tuesday’s encounter and produced a far sharper attacking display than in the previous meetings.
Zimbabwe, under caretaker coach Kaitano Tembo, struggled to contain Nigeria’s pace and movement, particularly through Azeez, who constantly threatened the Warriors defence.
The defeat means Zimbabwe will now contest the third-place play-off on Saturday against the loser of the other semi-final between Jamaica and India.
The Unity Cup tournament is designed to celebrate football and cultural connections between countries with large diaspora communities in the United Kingdom.
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