World’s best player ever, Edison Arentes do Nascimento “Pele” of Brazil visited Nigeria on January 26, 1969, when Nigeria was engulfed in a civil war.
Santos Fc, Pele’s Club was on a two –match visit toNigeria. They faced the famed stationary stores Fc of Lagos at the city stadium in Onikan. Stores, one ofNigeria’s top clubs at that time had several Nigerian internationals on the team. Some of them were members of the revered Nigerian team that heldBrazilto a 3-3 draw at the 1968 Olympics.
The Santosteam that took on stationary stores on January 26, 1969 paraded three Brazilian internationals, namely, Pele, Edu and goalkeeper Gylmar. A large crowd thronged the Onikan stadium to watch the match. The Lagosside approached the game with a lot of energy and zest as the Brazilians struggled to slow down the tempo. Store’s early energy surge produced a goal when Muiyiwa Oshode scored in the 12th minute.
That goal appeared to ginger Santosinto actions as they sprayed passes to the amazement of the Lagoscrowd. It was not surprising when Pele fired a ferocious shot in the 21st minute to tie even. Santos players continued to have the upper hand and with three minutes to the interval they went a goal ahead, through the boot of Pele.
Suddenly, the crowd and the stationary stores player rushed to hug Pele who had first scored against them.
This must have surprised Pele and his Santosteam mates because it is inconsistent that an opponent would hug and congratulate a player after scoring against them. Stores came out in the second half determined to tie the game. Eventually, they succeeded in the 55th minute when Baba Alli fired a volley past goalkeeper Gylmar then regarded as the second best in the world.
Santosdominated the game but failed to score a goal as store’s goalkeeper, Peter Fregene, and his defenders worked extremely hard to keep the final score at 2-2.
In the stationary stores line up were, Inuwa Regogo (Peter Fregene), Anthony Igwe, Augustine Ofoukwu, Willie Andrews, Segun Olumodeji, Samuel Opone (Captain), Mnyiwa Oshode, Kenneth Olayombo, Baba Alli, Mohammed Lawal and Sunny Ineh.
