The Nigerian senior national team has emerged as the winner of the 2025 Unity Cup final following a tense 5-4 penalty shootout victory over Jamaica, after the match finished 2-2 in regulation time.
Moses Simon gave Nigeria the lead as early as the ninth minute, capitalizing on an assist from Cyriel Dessers. However, Jamaica responded swiftly when Kaheim Dixon leveled the score just three minutes later. Both sides went into halftime deadlocked at 1-1.
In the second half, Samuel Chukwueze restored Nigeria’s advantage in the 53rd minute, only for Jon Russell to head home an equalizer for Jamaica in the 63rd minute. With neither side able to break the stalemate thereafter, the championship was decided by penalties.
Nigeria converted all five of their spot kicks, while Jamaica missed once. Debutant Uche Chrisantus stepped up to deliver the decisive penalty, sealing the Super Eagles’ triumph. Earlier in the shootout, Kelechi Iheanacho, Moses Simon, Tolu Arokodare, and Bruno Onyemaechi had each found the net with composure.
The victory marks a memorable end to a fiercely contested final, underscoring Nigeria’s resilience and composure under pressure.
Interestingly, the Super Eagles have won all three editions of the Unity Cup held thus far, with this latest triumph adding to their wins in 2002 and 2004.
