Substitute Malango Ngita scored from the penalty spot twelve minutes from time to deny Nigeria victory in their cliched sent-forth game in Port Harcourt on Monday night.
Defender William Troost-Ekong slid home in the fifteenth minute to give Nigeria the lead at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium – a facility looking as rotten as it was when last used on 2016.
Ngita then converted from twelve yards after Ola Aina fouled wing back Issama Mpeko. Though TV replays showed the foul was just outside the box, it mattered less as Ngita sent the impressive Francis Uzoho the wrong way.
Striker Simeon Nwankwo struck the cross bar after just three minutes of play and largely made his presence tell as he was again denied a debut goal in the second half after his header to Ola Aina’s long throw was kept out by Anthony Mossi.
Nigerian league top scorer Junior Lokosa also had his national team debut in the game and gave a decent account of himself for seventy minutes from an unaccustomed right wing position.
Nigeria’s much travelled team will leave the country for London on Tuesday ahead of Saturday’s prestige friendly against England at the Wembley Stadium.
The Eagles will there step up preparations for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia where they have been drawn in Group D alongside Croatia, Iceland and pre-tournament favourites Argentina.
