Flying Eagles today outscored their Zambian counterparts 4-2 in an U20 AFCON warm-up game thanks to inspired substitution in the second half by coach Ladan Bosso.
After Haliru Sarki put the Flying Eagles ahead in the first half, it was left for Olamilekan Adams, Emmanuel Uchegbu and Samson Lawal to come off the bench to score to give the host team a respectable victory.
Sarki raced across the Zambian defence to score the opening goal on 39 minutes.
Nigeria regained their lead in the 63rd minute, when Adams headed home for his third game in the last three matches.
Another Super Sub, Uchegbu made it 3-2 in the 77th minute, before three minutes from full time sub Lawal made the game safe with a fourth goal.
Bosso though will have to be worried about some poor defending by his team which allowed their visitors to score twice in Abuja.
Interestingly, Zambia will next head to Senegal, where they will take on the Flying Eagles Group A opening foes in another warm-up game.
Will the result of that game in Dakar have any bearing on what to expect on February 19 in Cairo when the Flying Eagles begin their U20 AFCON campaign against Senegal?
Flying Eagles Starting XI (4-3-3)
Nathaniel Nwosu – Solomon Agbalaka, Augustine Njoku, Abel Ogwuche (Benjamin Fredrick), Daniel Bamayi (Captain) – Daniel Daga, (Samson Lawal) Onuche Ogbelu, Mohammed Aminu (Nicholas Jonathan) – Ibrahim Mohammed ‘Ibeji’ (Jude Sunday), Francis Ayuba(Olamilekan Adams), Haliru Sarki (Emma Uchegbu)
