A flurry of three goals in a six-minute span propelled Nigeria to a 3-1 win over Ghana, but more importantly secured a return to the African Nations Championship (CHAN) for the first time in six years.
After a 0-0 first leg result in the Jollof Derby, it was all to play for Odin the second leg ion Uyo, with the sides looking for their place in Africa's tournament for locally-based players.
Ghana showed during the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying series that drawing at home to Nigeria was no obstacle to getting a crucial second leg result in Nigeria, and Black Galaxies head coach Mas-Ud Didi Dramani left no doubt about his ambitions.
He said before the game: "We created far more chances and were unlucky not to score. No need crying over spilt milk. (This game) is an opportunity to get the goals and qualify for the CHAN. It is not going to be easy as there is never any clash between Nigeria and Ghana that can be easy."
But it was the home team who did the decisive scoring. Ismaila Sodiq sprung the Black Galaxies offside trap to open the scoring for Nigeria. Within two minutes, the score was doubled as Nigeria won a corner kick and captain Junior Nduka swept home from a corner kick.
Three minutes later, from a defensive mix-up between goalkeeper Asare and defender Nurudeen Abdulai, Saviour Isaac snatched the ball at pace and slotted past Asare to make it 3-0.
Ghana's consolation came in the dying embers of the game, when they got a goal back through the excellent Berekum Chelsea forward Stephen Amankona.
Nigeria break losing CHAN streak
Nigeria and Ghana have met five previous times in CHAN competition. This is the first time the CHAN Eagles have come away with a win. The last time Nigeria beat Ghana by more than one goal was at the LG Cup in 2003 when they won by the same score line.
It is a victory that has been a long time coming. The Black Galaxies' wins twice denied the Eagles progress to the CHAN finals. For the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2009, Ghana eliminated Nigeria 3-2 on aggregate, after drawing the second leg 0-0 in Nigeria.
Their next meeting came in the 2014 Finals, where both teams played out a 0-0 score in the semifinals but Ghana advanced 4-1 on penalty shootouts to the Final.
In the qualification for the last tournament, both sides met again and each claimed 2-0 victories over two legs for a 2-2 aggregate score. Again, Ghana eliminated Nigeria on penalty kicks.
Local coaches make case for senior jobs
For years, there have been calls to give the best local coaches a shot with the Super Eagles first team. Felix Ilechukwu and Daniel Ogunmodede represent two of the rising stars of Nigerian coaching.
Ilechukwu cut his teeth leading MFM to promotion to the Premier league and challenging for the title, before moving on to places like Plateau United and Rangers where he led the Flying Antelopes to win their eighth league title.
For his part, Ogunmodede has guided Remo Stars to the top of the Nigeria Professional Football League and turned them from unknown to title challengers, qualifying for the CAF Champions League.
Between the two, they are acknowledged as two of the best in the Nigeria domestic league. After Augustine Eguavoen was put in temporary charge of the Super eagles, both men were appointed as his assistants and went from there to take charge of the CHAN team.
Their progressive ideas were evident in the team's fast-paced, possession based style of play. And unlike previous years where player selections to the squad left more than a few eyebrows raised, that has not been the case this go around.
If anything, their selections have received widespread praise for its reflection of the best players in the league.
Saviour, Daniel, Nduka state their cases
Nigeria's win was oiled by some standout performances, from the back to the front. Goalkeeper Henry Ozoemena kept up a rich tradition of Enyimba goalkeepers who have served the national team with excellence since Vincent Enyeama.
He joins the likes of Dele Aiyenugba, Chijioke Ejiogu, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Thomas Afelokhai and Olorunleke Ojo who have been part of the international set up.
In the outfield, Kwara United's long-limbed midfielder Papa Daniel Mustapha looked imperious with, winning tackles, making good decisions and keeping the midfield controlled. It is no wonder that things fell apart when he was inexplicably subbed midway through the second period.
Captain Nduka led from the back, directing traffic, making good reads and keeping the Ghana forwards at bay. It was his raking ball from deep that found Sodiq for the opening goal before he added the second from a corner kick.
"Home-boy" Saviour Isaac, who played in Uyo for One Rocket before departing for Rangers, received a standing ovation when he was subbed off. His energy, running and ability to take on the opposition non-stop was one reason why the Eagles dominate that first period the way they did.
It nearly went wrong in the end...
Despite the praise that Ogunmodede and Ilechukwu have received from around the Nigerian football community, things could have gone badly wrong in the second half.
The Nigerian team dominated the first period so much it was a wonder they only scored three goals. It could easily have been at least five.
Adamu Abubakar saw his goal-bound shot deflected off a defender's back for a corner kick. Sikiru Alimi found himself through on goal with the first half winding down but failed to properly round goalkeeper Benjamin Asare and make hay for what should have been a fourth goal.
But midway through the second half, the coaching staff made some head scratching substitutions, taking off Daniel and Saviour and going full on defensive mode with defenders on to replace them.
Those subs sparked fresh life into Ghana and it was they who were now pushing for the remainder of the game. When Amankona found the net, things began to look really nervy for the home side, and only some kamikaze defending kept Ghana at bay.
Perhaps the lesson here is that while substitutions are welcome, pulling your best players off the field is not always the best idea.