Nigeria’s Eagles maul Burkina Faso, Ghana lose in Japan

Taiwo Samson

Nigeria’s Super Eagles drubbed Burkina Faso 4-1 on Tuesday with a brace by Brown Ideye and additional goals from Shola Ameobi and Emmanuel Emenike.

Both sides used the match to prepare for next month’s 2014 final World Cup playoffs.

The Stallions were without several of their top stars like Alain Traore, Aristide Bance and Jonathan Pitroipa.

South Africa-based defender James Okwuosa made his international debut for Nigeria. Brown Ideye gave Nigeria the lead in the 13th minute, when he capitalised on a blunder by Burkina Faso goalkeeper Lare Diarra.

The Dynamo Kiev striker doubled the advantage on 43rd minute, when he got to the end of a through ball by John Ogu before he clipped the ball past the Burkina goalkeeper.

Newcastle United Shola Ameobi, who was playing his third match for Nigeria fired the Eagles’ third goal in the 53rd minute for his first goal for the team.

Substitute Emmanuel Emenike completed the rout with a fourth goal in the 63rd minute as Nigeria turned on the style inside a packed Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna.

Burkina Faso pulled a goal back late on when a cross evaded everyone before Simpore coolly tapped home from the back post.

Other results of international friendlies played today

Canada 0 Mauritania 1 (Ba 53)

Japan 3 (Kagawa 50, Endo 64, Honda 72) Ghana 1 (Frank Acheampong 24)

South Korea 1 (Keun-Ho Lee 90) Croatia 2 (Vida 65, Kalinic 71)

China 2 (Zhi Zheng 43, Xuri Zhao 57) Malaysia 0