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By Peter Akinbo.
Ex-international Godwin Izilien has recounted the match the Nigerian football team played against Brazilian legend Pele and his Santos side in 1969 in Benin, Nigeria during the Biafran war, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Izilien told PUNCH Sports Extra how the Eagles faced the task of who would mark Pele during the game with almost everyone avoiding the responsibility.
“It was very exciting and it’s interesting to know that in the first five minutes, they were leading 2-0 and people were shouting ‘this one will reach 20 0’. So, during the game, someone got injured, and when we replaced him, I had to assign responsibilities to all the players, but the biggest problem was who was to mark Pele. I volunteered, I said I will mark him since we are the same height and we restarted,” he said.
The former Super Falcons coach noted how his tackle made Pele share some words with him before he left the pitch after Izilien stopped him from scoring a goal.
“Something happened for just some seconds when I tackled him that I don’t think he ever forgot. He came to me and he was murmuring words, he didn’t understand me and I didn’t understand him because he didn’t understand English.
“Around the 70th minute, he left the pitch, there was a ball he chipped over and above our head, if I kicked, it would have been another goal, I just controlled the ball and played it into the corner, he just pulled his shirt and left the pitch. When we got to the guesthouse, he commended our efforts.”
Former Edo state sports council chairman, Godwin Dudu-Orumen who watched from the stands among the fans revealed that it was an electric mood that made the friendly game seem like a celebration of football and Pele did not disappoint on the occassion.
“I was a little boy then; I was just about 12 or so but I managed to sneak in through Godwin Izilien’s assistance. It was an electric atmosphere; it was a very festive mood.
“It was fantastic, everyone was expecting magic from Pele every time he touched the ball and he didn’t disappoint, he was always too much for the opposition but I think he also realised that it was an exhibition game and didn’t try to embarrass anyone and just had fun but of course, they were the better side,” Dudu-Orumen told PUNCH Sports Extra.
The match ended 2-1 to Santos with Pele scoring both goals for Santos and Titus Okere scored the goal for Nigeria.