Femi Azeez announced himself on the Super Eagles stage with a stunning debut. The Millwall winger scored twice to sink Zimbabwe 2-0 in Tuesday's Unity Cup semi-final.
Playing at The Valley, home of Charlton Athletic, Azeez opened the scoring early in the first half. He struck powerfully with his left foot after combining with Terem Moffi outside the box.
Nigeria controlled the match from kick-off. The team dictated play and showed attacking intent throughout.
Azeez wasn't finished yet. Shortly after the hour mark, he doubled Nigeria's lead, calmly finishing from Philip Otele's assist.
Zimbabwe tried to mount a comeback. But Nigeria's defence stayed compact and disciplined to keep them at bay.
Goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo made a crucial save with 20 minutes remaining. His stop denied Zimbabwe any realistic hope of a comeback.
The comfortable victory sends Nigeria into Saturday's final at The Valley. The Super Eagles will face either India or Jamaica for the trophy.
Coach Azeez has given the team real momentum heading into the decider. His match-winning performance on debut will have supporters dreaming of a successful title defence.
