Nigeria Hit Tahiti for Six in their Confederations Cup Opener

Tahiti's Jonathan Tehau scores against Nigeria

Africa Cup of Nations champions Nigeria began their Confederations Cup campaign in emphatic fashion thrashing lowly Tahiti 6-1 in their opening game at the Estádio Governador Magalhães Pinto in Belo Horizont, Brazil. 

Tahiti, the outright tournament underdogs gave a brave fight but fell behind with just five minutes on the clock when Uwa Elderson Echiejile’s shot found itself on the back of the net after a series of deflections. The Super Eagles found themselves two ahead five minutes later when Nnamdi Oduamadi slotted home after some good work from Ahmed Musa.

Nigeria could have put the game beyond reach for the 2012 OFC Nations Cup winners but poor finishing kept the score low. However, with 27 minutes on the clock, Tahiti gifted the team ranked 107 places above them their third goal, custodian Xavier Samin spilling a harmless cross into Oduamadi’s feet, the forward tapping in his second and Nigeria’s 3^rd goal. 

With the crowd fully behind them, Tahiti, whose squad is composed mainly of amateurs pressed for a goal and could have gotten one in the 43^rd minute but Steevy Chong Hue headed wide with only the goalkeeper to beat. 

The Super Eagles continued being wasteful after the interval and allowed the Tahitians to score when Jonathan Tehau leaped to head in a Marama Vahirua corner to send the partisan crowd into frenzy.

 But that was as good as it got for the south Pacific islanders' who fell further behind in the 68^th minute when Tehau turned the villain with an own goal. Oduamadi finished his hat-trick in the 76^th minute and Echiejile added his second to give the African Champions a 6-1 win, a result that put them at the top of Group B standings ahead of world champions Spain who beat Uruguay 2-1 on Sunday.  

Tahiti next meet favorites Spain while Nigeria clash with Uruguay on Thursday. 

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