Abdullahi Bewene has expressed joy after making his competitive home debut for the Super Eagles in Nigeria’s 3-1 win over Tanzania in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.
The 21-year-old FC Baník Ostrava defender was named in Éric Chelle’s starting lineup for the clash at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, on Friday evening.
Bewene started at right-back, allowing Ola Aina to switch to the opposite flank, and played the full 90 minutes.
Having previously featured in friendly matches against Poland, Portugal and Russia, the youngster made the most of his first competitive outing for Nigeria.
He finished the match with 92 touches, more than any other player, and created four chances, including one big chance. He also completed nine passes into the final third, made four recoveries and recorded three interceptions.
His contribution was not limited to defensive duties, as he regularly pushed forward to support Nigeria’s attacks.
After the match, Bewene took to Instagram to express his happiness at making his home debut in front of the Nigerian supporters.
“I’m so happy to make my home debut in front of these beautiful fans thank see all in Tanzania,” he wrote.
The defender will now hope to keep his place when Nigeria travel to face Tanzania in the return fixture on Tuesday at the Amman Stadium, Zanzibar.
