U20 FOOTBALL
You aren’t seen nothing yet, Flying Eagles coach Bosso boasts
Nigeria have qualified for the round of 16 at the U20 FIFA World Cup in Argentina, after edging out Italy 2-0 in Mendoza, their second successive victory in Group D.
Salim Fago and Jude Sunday scored the goals for the Flying Eagles to soar them into the last 16 with a match to spare in the group. But even with a brilliant victory, head coach Ladan Bosso still wants more from the team, with their eyes pegged on getting to the final.
“For now, we are still a work in progress. We are still in the tournament and we can never be satisfied yet until we play the final,” the tactician said after his team’s victory over Italy.
This was their second win in the group, having started off with a 2-1 victory over The Dominican Republic on Match Day One.
He was delighted with the performance of his side in earning the victory.
“You have seen it, it’s a good thing that we have orientated our boys on how to get the Italians, and we stuck to our tactics. After the first half, we tried to reinforce the team so that if we could not score, we shouldn’t be able to concede, and eventually, it went well for us,” the tactician noted.
His sentiments are shared by midfielder Victor Eletu, who played a starring role in the victory.
“I am very happy with how the team played because we showed great character. I know we can go far in this competition because we have a very good team. We played as a team and that’s why we could beat a strong opponent like Italy,” Eletu, who plays his club football in Italy with AC Milan said.
Nigeria will next face off with Brazil in a blockbuster tie, with the winner of the duel set to finish top of the group and seeded better for the round of 16. Coach Bosso says however, he will rotate his squad to give those who haven’t played a chance to prove themselves.
“We will play a normal game with Brazil. I think they are beatable,” said the tactician.
In the game against Italy, both sides had close scoring chances in the opening half, but it was not until the second 45 that the goals came through. Fago broke the deadlock with a beautiful diving header on the hour mark from a cross on the right.
In the fourth minute of added time, Sunday made it 2-0 when he ran onto a lobbed ball, chested it to move away from his marker before shooting low past the keeper.
Meanwhile in the other match involving an African team at the World Cup, Senegal picked their first point after a 1-1 draw with Israel. Pape Demba Diop drew Senegal level in the 80th minute, after Babacar N’Diaye had scored in his own net in the 58th minute.
The African champions who started their campaign with a slim 1-0 defeat at the hands of Japan will now face off with Group leaders Colombia in a must win duel to keep their last 16 hopes alive.
Just like Brazil did to the Nigerian Flying Eagles 38 years in Concepcion, Chile, so has done Rampant Argentina as they humiliated Nigeria 4-0 in the Round of 16 of the ongoing Under 20 World Cup.
Thesix-time champions Argentina did not waste much time as they began scoring just two minutes the match in Santiago. By the time the dust settled, the Flying Eagles had conceded two goals in each half.
The humiliating defeat not only avenged a 2-0 loss to Nigeria two years ago, it eliminated the Flying Eagles from the tournament.
From the very first whistle, it was a nightmare unfolding for Nigeria. Barely two minutes in, Alejo Sarco silenced the West Africans with a crisp opener that shattered their early rhythm. Things went from bad to worse in the 23rd minute, when Maher Carrizo curled in a brilliant free-kick after Nasiru Salihu’s mistimed challenge at the edge of the box — a goal that left Nigeria’s defensive wall and goalkeeper rooted in disbelief.
Nigeria’s brief glimmer of hope came when Salihu appeared to be fouled by Ramirez inside the box, but the referee waved away appeals for a penalty, compounding their frustration.
With the Argentines dominating possession and dictating the pace, Nigeria’s attacks came in desperate flashes.
Oseer Achihi’s darting runs down the left flank occasionally unsettled the South Americans, but his dangerous crosses found no finishing touch.
Even Daniel Daga’s stoppage-time effort, Nigeria’s best chance of the first half, was spectacularly denied by goalkeeper Santino Barbi, keeping the scoreline at 2-0 at halftime.
Whatever hopes Nigeria harboured of a second-half comeback evaporated quickly. Carrizo struck again in the 53rd minute, finishing off a swift Argentine counter-attack that sliced open Nigeria’s backline.
By the time substitute Matheus Silvetti beat the offside trap and curled home Argentina’s fourth in the 66th minute, it was clear the Flying Eagles were facing a total collapse and will be flying home.
Outclassed, outpaced, and outscored, the defeat marked one of Nigeria’s heaviest in recent U20 World Cup history.
The Flying Eagles — two-time runners-up — exit the tournament with a bitter taste, undone by Argentina’s ruthless precision and their own defensive frailties.
For the Albiceleste, it was not just victory — it was vengeance delivered in emphatic style.
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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
SUMMARY
*Nigeria never lost a competitive match on October 8
*Nigeria first international match was on October 8, 1949
*Nigeria first qualified for the World Cup following an October 8 match with Algeria in 1993
Mexico have booked their place in the quarter-finals of the ongoing FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile, following a commanding 4-1 victory over hosts Chile in the early hours of Wednesday.
With the win, the North Americans will now await the outcome of the Round of 16 clash between Nigeria and Argentina, which takes place later tonight at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez PrádanosinSantiago.
Nigeria will be aiming to repeat history against the Albiceleste, having stunned them 2-0 on home soil in their previous meeting two years ago.
But beyond recent records, the Super Eagles’ U20 side will also be drawing inspiration from a remarkable tradition — the ‘Magic of October 8’ — a date that has consistently brought Nigeria good fortune in football.
October 8: A Date Steeped in Nigerian Football History
It was on October 8, 1949, that Nigeria played their first-ever international match, defeating Sierra Leone 2-0 in Freetown. Since then, matches played on this date have often carried a touch of destiny for the nation.
In 1963, the team earned a 2-2 draw away to Liberia, maintaining their unbeaten streak on October 8, shortly after Nigeria had, through protest, overturned a result against Guinea to qualify for their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations.
Perhaps the most iconic result came 26 years after Nigeria’s debut international match, when the Green Eagles thrashed Egypt 4-0 in Lagos on October 8, 1977, during the final stage of the World Cup qualifiers for Argentina ’78.
That defeat remained Egypt’s heaviest in a World Cup qualifier until Ghana’s 6-1 rout in 2013.
The tradition continued in 1993, when Nigeria held Algeria 1-1 in Algiers on October 8 to qualify for their first-ever FIFA World Cup, becoming the first English-speaking African nation to reach the global showpiece.
Even FIFA appeared to acknowledge the date’s mystique — lifting a provisional ban on Nigeria on October 8, 2010.
Nigeria’s Record on October 8
- 1949 – Freetown (Friendly): Sierra Leone 0–2 Nigeria
- 1963 – Monrovia (Friendly): Liberia 2–2 Nigeria
- 1977 – Lagos (World Cup Qualifier): Nigeria 4–0 Egypt
- 1993 – Algiers (World Cup Qualifier): Algeria 1–1 Nigeria (Nigeria qualify for USA ’94)
- 2005 – Abuja (World Cup Qualifier): Nigeria 5–1 Zimbabwe
- 2010 – FIFA provisionally lifts ban on Nigeria
- 2011 – Abuja (AFCON Qualifier): Nigeria 2–2 Guinea (unbeaten but missed 2012 AFCON ticket)
With such an impressive record, Nigerian fans will be hoping the October 8 magic shines once again when their U20 side face Argentina — and possibly sets up a thrilling quarter-final showdown with Mexico.
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Three of Africa’s four representatives — Morocco, Nigeria, and South Africa — have booked their spots in the Round of 16 at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, after a thrilling conclusion to the group phase on Sunday night.
Only Egypt missed out narrowly despite their spirited 2-1 win over hosts Chile in Santiago.
Morocco, the standout African team so far, topped Group C with two impressive victories — against Spain and Brazil — before a narrow defeat to Mexico.
The Atlas Cubs will now face Korea Republic in Rancagua on Thursday, 9 October, with the winner set to meet either Italy or the USA in the quarter-finals.
Nigeria, meanwhile, advanced as one of the best third-placed teams after a battling 1-1 draw with Colombia in Talca.
The Flying Eagles had earlier edged Saudi Arabia 3-2 in a dramatic group clash and will now face Argentina in Santiago — a repeat of their memorable encounters in past youth tournaments.
Coach Aliyu Zubairu praised his side’s resilience:
“It wasn’t easy but we stood our ground and were proactive. We knew they are physically strong and good on the ball so we tried to deny them passing lanes. All we wanted was to qualify for the next round.”
For South Africa, it has been a breakthrough campaign. The Amajita, reigning African U-20 champions, sealed their qualification with a 2-1 win over the USA, their second victory of the tournament after hammering New Caledonia 5-0.
The result sends them into a tough last-16 clash against Colombia on Wednesday, 8 October in Talca.
Coach Raymond Mdaka lauded his side’s progress, saying: “The players have shown great maturity and hunger to compete at this level. We believe we can go further if we remain disciplined and take our chances.”
While Morocco’s tactical discipline, Nigeria’s fighting spirit, and South Africa’s attacking flair have given the continent much to cheer about, Egypt’s exit was a cruel blow.
Despite defeating hosts Chile 2-1 in their final group match, the Young Pharaohs missed out on qualification due to an inferior fair-play record — finishing level on points but with more yellow cards than the South Americans.
The performances of the African teams have reignited optimism about the continent’s growing influence in world youth football, as all three surviving nations now aim to emulate Ghana’s famous 2009 U-20 World Cup triumph.
The knockout round fixtures offer no easy paths, but African hopes remain alive in Chile 2025.
Morocco take on Korea Republic, Nigeria face Argentina, and South Africa meet Colombia — three matches that could further underline Africa’s rising football pedigree on the global stage.
-Cafonline
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