EXCLUSIVE! Four Flying Eagles players at risk of missing semi-finals if…

Published

1 year ago

June 1, 2023

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

The Flying Eagles are now awaiting the winners of the Thursday clash of Ecuador and Korea Republic for their quarter-final match in the FIFA U20 World Cup holding in Argentina.

However, four players of the team are at risk of missing the semi-finals if Nigeria win the quarter-final duel.

The players are Daniel Daga, Abel Ogwuche, Benjamin Fredrick and Samson Lawal.

Each of the players are on one yellow card. A second yellow card will see them missing the subsequent match.

No Nigerian player was cautioned in the explosive match with Argentina. But three of the player had yellow cards in the last group match loss to Brazil.

Daniel Daga was cautioned in the 19^th minute and that was followed by that of Abel Ogwuche in the 46^th minute.

Samson Lawal had Nigeria’s third yellow card of the match in the 79^th minute. The fourth Nigerian player, Benjamin Fredrick had his own caution in the 2-0 defeat of Italy last week Wednesday.

The players, according to document from FIFA received by Sports Village Square will miss a subsequent match if again cautioned.

Nigeria’s next match is on Sunday, a quarter final duel with either Ecuador or Korea Republic at Santiago del Estero.

New champions to emerge as Uruguay, Italy contest U20 World Cup final

Published

1 year ago

June 9, 2023

Kunle Solaja

Uruguay and Italy will play the final match of the U20 World Cup holding in Argentina. Uruguay beat Israel 1-0 while Italy defeated Korea Republic 2-1 in their respective semi-final matches played on Thursday night.

It is the first time that both countries will be playing the final match. Twelve countries have won the cup in the past.

Argentina with six titles and Brazil with five are the most winners followed by Portugal and Serbia with two victories.

The other eight have a title each. They are Ghana, Russia, Spain, Germany and England. The remaining are France, England and Ukraine.

In Thursday’s semi-finals, goals from Cesare Casadei and Simone Pafundi secured Italy the 2-1 win over Korea Republic.

In the earlier semi-finals, a predator’s goal from Anderson Duarte grabbed Uruguay victory over Israel.

The final match will be played on Sunday night.

U-20 FOOTBALL

Ladan Bosso: Twice beaten in U20 World Cup quarter finals after extra time

Published

1 year ago

June 4, 2023

Kunle Solaja

What a cruel fate for Flying Eagles’ coach, Ladan Bosso at the quarter finals stage of the U20 World Cup in the Americas.

Sunday night after-extra-time loss to Korea Republic was not the first time he experienced the cruel fate.

Flashback to 16 years ago in Canada. His Flying Eagles held on gamely in their quarter-final duel with Chile at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal.

Scores at regulation time was 0-0. Then the match moved to extra time. Thereafter things fell apart and the centre could not hold.

A team that held the Chileans to 0-0 for 90 minutes suddenly fell like the Biblical Wall of Jericho.

At the extra time, Bosso’s team crumbled miserably to a 4-0 defeat.

Again, his team has had to suffer another extra time defeat at the quarter-finals.

U-20 FOOTBALL

How debutants, Israel sealed historic win over five-time winners, Brazil

Published

1 year ago

June 3, 2023

Kunle Solaja

Debutants, Israel will face either USA or Uruguay in the semi-finals of the 2023 FIFA U20 World Cup after they eliminated five-time champions, Brazil.

Israel have become the first debutants to reach the semi-finals of a FIFA U-20 World Cup since Senegal in 2015.

An exquisite solo goal scored by Dor Turgeman saw debutants Israel come from behind to defeat Brazil 3-2 in an instant FIFA U-20 World Cup classic.

Israel will now play the USA-Uruguay winners in La Plata, while A Seleção will have to pack their bags for the journey home. Israel had the better of the first half, but Brazil had its best chance.

Following fine play from Savio down the right, Marquinhos’s effort from the back post, yards out, was kept out by the leg of Tomer Zarfati.

Marcos Leonardo’s excellent strike with his weaker left foot put Brazil ahead at the start of the second, but Anan Khalaili equalised with the header of this tournament.

Kaique then pulled off a superb save to deny Turgeman and send the game to extra time. Extra time held more drama and goals than your average 90-minute match.

Andrey Santos’s exquisite flick set up Matheus Nascimento to restore Brazil’s lead, but Hamza Shibli turned a cross in at the back post immediately to level things up again.

The decisive moment came at the end of the first half of extra time when Turgeman dribbled through Brazil’s defense before unleashing an unstoppable curler past Kaique.

An incredible second period of extra time saw Israel fail to score from the penalty spot twice, but Ofir Haim’s side were able to hold on and complete an historic victory.