Debut star Azeez fires Nigeria past Zimbabwe into Unity Cup final

Nigeria's Super Eagles have secured a spot in the 2026 Unity Cup final after a convincing 2-0 victory over Zimbabwe. The semi-final match, held at The Valley Stadium in London, was highlighted by a stellar debut performance from winger Femi Azeez, who netted both goals.

Azeez wasted no time making his mark on the international stage, opening the scoring in the fifth minute with a precise strike from outside the penalty area. The early goal set a confident tone for the Super Eagles, who largely controlled the game. Captain Terem Moffi led the attack, while midfielders Tochukwu Nnadi and Samson Tijani showed promise.

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The 24-year-old opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a fine strike from just outside the penalty area after Nigeria started brightly against the Warriors.

Despite Zimbabwe's attempts to equalize, Nigeria's defense, anchored by Igoh Ogbu and Chibuike Nwaiwu, maintained composure throughout the first half. The Super Eagles extended their lead in the 63rd minute when Azeez scored his second goal, converting a well-placed pass from Moffi.

The brace marked a memorable debut for Azeez, who recently had a strong season with Millwall in the English Championship. Coach Eric Chelle also utilized substitutions, introducing Tosin Oyedokun and Owen Oseni. Goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo contributed to the clean sheet, preventing Zimbabwe from scoring despite their previous draws with Nigeria in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Nigeria now awaits the winner of the Jamaica vs. India match in the final.

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The move started with Moffi, who burst into the box before unselfishly squaring the ball for the debutant to slot home his second goal of the night calmly.