The Super Eagles of Nigeria have advanced to the final of the 2026 Unity Cup following a convincing 2-0 victory over the Warriors of Zimbabwe on Tuesday in London.
The result at The Valley sees the defending champions continue their strong run in the competition as they eye back-to-back titles.
A brace from debutant Femi Azeez proved decisive, with the forward delivering a standout performance on his first appearance for the national team.
He opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a powerful strike from outside the box, giving Nigeria an early advantage and settling any early nerves in the semi-final clash.
Nigeria dominated large spells of the first half with their attacking play down the flanks causing constant problems for Zimbabwe’s defensive line.
Alhassan Abdullahi and Terem Moffi both came close to extending the lead, while Zimbabwe struggled to create clear chances against a well-organised Nigerian backline.
The Warriors improved after the restart and briefly threatened an equaliser, but Nigeria remained composed.
The breakthrough for the second goal came in the 62nd minute when Moffi led a swift counterattack before unselfishly squaring the ball for Azeez, who calmly slotted home his second goal of the night to put the result beyond doubt.
The match also featured several full debuts for the Super Eagles, including Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, who started in goal and delivered a composed performance.
He was joined by Chibueze Oputa, Obinna Igboke, Samson Tijani, Alhassan Abdullahi and Al-Ameen in the starting setup as the coaching staff continued to integrate new players into the squad.
In the 77th minute, Nigeria made a double change as Philip Otele and Samson Tijani were replaced by Tosin Oyedokun and Owen Oseni, who also made their senior debut.
Nigeria will now face either Jamaica or India in the final on Saturday, 30 May, as they aim to successfully defend the Unity Cup title they won last year.
Wale Adejumo
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