By Dayo Awoniyi
Jamaica head coach Steve McClaren has hailed the quality and composure of the Super Eagles following his team’s narrow 5-4 defeat to Nigeria on penalties in the Unity Cup final.
The match, held in West London, ended 2-2 in regulation time, with Jamaica twice coming from behind before Nigeria triumphed in the shootout to lift the Unity Cup under head coach Eric Chelle.
Speaking after the game, McClaren praised the technical ability and discipline of the Nigerian side.
“I’ve got to say, a very good Nigerian team full of quality players who play across Europe and the United Kingdom,” he said.
“You see the way that they move the ball. They don’t give the ball away. Admiring them, but for our team to deal with that was a credit.”
The former England manager also commended his players for their resilience and ability to adapt under pressure but admitted Nigeria’s superior ball movement and tactical sharpness were key factors in the outcome.
With the Unity Cup now secured, the Super Eagles turn their attention to a high-profile international friendly against Russia on June 6 at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, as part of preparations for upcoming AFCON and World Cup qualifying campaigns.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
