FIFA U20 World Cup: F’Eagles beat hosts, Argentina to reach Q/F, as Falconets smash Benin Rep 3-0
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles trounced hosts, Argentina by 2-0 to reach the quarter finals of the ongoing FIFA U20 World Cup holding in the South American country.
The Flying Eagles who scrapped into the Last 16 of the tournament after losing to Brazil 2-0 in the final Group D match despite needing only a draw to top the group, qualified as third best to face the Group A toppers, Argentina.
The match played, late Wednesday night, at 10pm Nigerian time before in front of 27,179 home fans at the Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario, favoured the home side and six times winners of the competitions, which the Eagles have never won, but have finished twice as finalists, losing to Portugal and Argentina.
The encounter ended 0-0 half time before winger Ibrahim Muhammad scored for Nigeria in the 61th minute at the San Juan stadium.
The second Flying Eagle came in extra time in the 92nd minute when substitute Haliru Sarki scored to stretch the lead to 2-0.
Coach Ladan Bosso had made minor changes to the team after the Brazil loss by bring in Benjamin Fredrick returning from injury, as well as, Tochukwu Nnadi and Ibrahim Muhammad to replace Emmanuel Umeh and Victor Eletu.
The Flying Eagles now join Israel and United States in the quarter finals after both defeated Uzbekistan and New Zealand, respectively.
Israel defeated Uzbekistan 1-0, thanks to a late stoppage time goal from Anan Khalaili, while the USA defeated New Zealand 4-0 to book a place in the quarter-final.
Also, a 10-man Brazil defeated Tunisia by 4-1 in a match played at the Ciudad de la Plata stadium in Argentina, Wednesday, to advance to the quarter finals.
The quarter-final fixtures will take place on Saturday and Sunday.
The team was to depart Buenos Aires after its Group D matches in Mendoza for San Juan by 9am Monday morning but the flight was delayed for several hours until 6pm. No explanation was given for the delay
Meanwhile, in the ongoing West African Football Union (WAFU) Zone B Women’s Cup hosted by Ghana, Nigeria junior female national team, the Falconets beat Benin Republic 3-0 in the semi finals of the competition to reach the final, slated for this weekend.
Goals from Amina Bello (one) and a brace by Esther Onyenezide ensured that the Falconets made it to the finals without a conceding a single so far.
The Falconets now face host nation, Ghana.
The Falconets have beaten Niger Republic 7-0, Togo 6-0, Burkina Faso 3-0 to reach the semi finals scoring a total of 19 goals, none conceded.
