Nigeria emerges COPA 2013 winner thrice in a row

Nigeria emerges COPA 2013 winner thrice in a row

Nigeria’s Super Sand Eagles needed sudden death penalty shootouts to defeat a hard-fighting Lebanon in their second match of the ongoing Copa Lagos Beach Soccer championship on Saturday.

Nigeria raced into a 4-2 lead few minutes into the first period with Barthlomew grabbing a hat-trick.

Their Lebanese opponents fought back to level scores at 4-4 but the Eagles restored their two goal lead moments later.

Lebanon ensured the catch-up continued by leveling score at 6-6 while they tailed Nigeria at every score.

Nigeria Rounds Off their 2013 Copa Lagos Campaign Against Senegal.

The host nation and two-time champions hit the post twice in succession as they looked to finish off the tight contest in the third stanza.

Regulation time ended and extra-time was needed to separate the two teams. There wasn’t much to separate them and it resulted into penalties.

Both teams scored their mandatory penalties but Nigeria eventually laughed last after sudden death. Lebanon missed a kick and Super Sand Eagles claimed a 10-9 win, climbing top of the group standing.

Nigeria next face African champions Senegal on Sunday in the final match of the 2013 Copa Lagos.

In the first match of Saturday fixtures, Senegal defeated Copa Lagos debutantes Germany 6-2 to record their first win of this year’s competition, while the Europeans lost their second match in quick succession.