Despite not having a coach to direct from the bench, Nigeria walloped France 12-2 at the on-going
Homeless World Cup taking place in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Prior to departing for the competition, the team was stranded in Lagos as the players and officials did not have money to buy tickets for the competition.
It was only through a last minute financial support from abroad that the boys traveled to the competition. But they did not travel with their coach, Joe Erico, and team co-ordinator, Yomi Kuku,
because the financial support could only take care of the players.
But those travails did not seem to stop the Nigerian lads.
Playing in the second game of the tournament in Group B, the Nigerians, which paraded the hottest star in the match, Nimikimi Macintosh (with four goals), dominated play from the beginning to the end of the match.
Two more goals each from Simon Okwori, Saheed Shittu, Joseph Olamiju and Layi Oyegunle gave Nigeria the maximum points to top Group B.
In other matches, Russia defeated Ghana 2-1 on penalties after regular time ended 7-7 while Zimbabwe beat Greece 5-0. Liberia defeated Finland 4-0, Kenya hit Netherlands 4-2, while Cameroon
lashed Uganda 5-0. Zambia slammed Slovenia 11-2 while South Africa recorded the highest victory margin of the competition with its 17-2 mauling of India.
The matches are played on a barricaded pitch by two teams of six players each.