Nigeria and Morocco will contest the final of the 2019 Middle East Africa (MEA) Rugby League Championship after both countries defeated Ghana and Cameroon respectively on the opening day of the four-nation tournament staged at the TBS Cricket Oval in Lagos on Wednesday.
Debutants Nigeria defeated fellow West African greenhorns Ghana 23-12 while Morocco marked their return to the international fold after an eight year hiatus with an 8-4 victory over debutants Cameroon in the early kickoff.
For a country making its first foray into Rugby League on the international scene, Nigeria acquitted itself very creditably, no doubt, buoyed by an impressive and very partisan crowd which had turned out to cheer the team to victory on their international bow.
Speaking to Magic FM Sports Desk after his side’s victory over Ghana, Nigeria international Sadiq Adebiyi who plays for the London Broncos said he was impressed with the turn out on the first day of competition and predicted a robust future for the sport in Nigeria.