Flying Eagles pip Uganda 1-0 for World Cup ticket

This is how we roll: Nigerian fans gyrate to their music and songs as Nigeria flies past Uganda to Indonesia for the FIFA U-20 World Cup

By Rasheed Adewuyi

Nigeria reached the 23^rd FIFA U20 World Cup finals on Thursday evening after defeating Uganda by a lone goal in Ismailia in the second quarter-final of the 17^th Africa U20 Cup of Nations.

Goalkeeper Chijioke Aniagboso, who has been huge for the Flying Eagles since taking over the sticks after the opening-day defeat to Senegal in Cairo, captained in the absence of the suspended Daniel Bameyi, but was unfazed by the band and gave another assuring performance for the seven-time champions.

As early as the 10^th minute, he had to enact a reflex save to stop a bullet header from a corner kick.

Both teams continued to frisk for opportunities, with Nigeria’s Ibrahim Muhammad and Haliru Sarki probing deep but undone mostly by inaccurate passes and poor ball-holding in the final quarter.

However, on the dot of half an hour, Ibrahim Muhammad, who scored one of the goals that sank Mozambique on the final day of Group A attrition, latched onto a long ball from the defense, controlled well, and fired. His effort saw the ball hit the upright, and in his confusion, defender Ibrahim Juma helped the ball into his net for the match’s only goal.

Muhammad should have made it two to purchase a cruise for Nigeria only four minutes after the restart, but he put too much power behind his turn and shot.

On the hour mark and seven minutes after, Aniagboso saved a point-blank shot to sustain Nigeria’s lead. In the 80^th minute, Samson Lawal spun the ball away from the Nigerian goalline from a 22-yard well-taken Ugandan free-kick.

The victory earned Nigeria a slot in Monday’s semi-finals and a ticket to Indonesia. The Flying Eagles will take on the winner of the clash between Congo and Tunisia, happening at the Cairo International Stadium on Friday.   

Daniel Bameyi to sit-out vital quarter-final cracker againt Uganda

By Rasheed Adewuyi

Flying Eagles captain Daniel Bameyi will be missing in action when Nigeria takes on Uganda in one of the quarter final matches at the on-going African U-20 Nations cup in Egypt.

The Center back will observe a one match ban due to the accumulation of two yellow cards. Bameyi was booked in the group matches against Senegal and Mozambique.

Speaking on Bameyi’s one-match ban, Flying Eagles coach, Ladan Bosso, admitted that though his captain would be missed on Thursday against Uganda because of his work rate and quality leadership in the team, the side must find a way to weather the storm.

“Suspension is part of football. Other competent players can fit into his position. There’s no cause for alarm,” Bosso said.

On Nigeria’s chance of qualifying for the semi final, Bosso added: “Before we left our training camp in Morocco, NFF president, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, told us clearly that the the first objective should be getting a ticket to the FIFA World cup. We are at the most important stage of the championship, and we can not afford to falter.”

“We know that Nigerians are watching and looking up to us to deliver. While our mission remains to bag the world cup ticket, we are also eyeing the trophy, which is still several matches away. For the moment, we are working hard to see that we control proceedings on Thursday.”

In other quarter-final matches, Group A winner, Senegal will take on Benin Republic at the Cairo International stadium, on Thursday. Gambia will trade tackles with South Sudan while Congo will slug it out with Tunisia.

The four Semi finalists will represent Africa at the U-20 FIFA World cup in Indonesia between May 20 to June 11, 2023.

After two rocket goals see off the Young Mambas

By Rasheed Adewuyi

Watch highlights of Nigeria U20 versus Mozambique U20

Super Eagles Head Coach José Santos Peseiro said he was impressed after scorching shots from the boots of forwards Samson Lawal and Ibrahim Muhammad gave Nigeria all three points and a deserved quarter-final ticket at the 23^rd Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Egypt on Saturday.

Mozambique’s Young Mambas were the victims of Nigeria’s junior side this time.

Buoyed by the win over host nation Egypt on Wednesday that redirected their sail back on track, the Flying Eagles played with commendable self-assurance. They dominated large swathes of a game played under floodlights at an impressive facility in northeastern Egypt.

Ayuba Francis failed to put enough purchase price on his strikes in the 6th and 24th minutes on the Suez Canal Authority Stadium turf in Ismailia. Still, Lawal, after receiving a pass from the nimble-footed Haliru Sarki, glided past two defenders before releasing a fierce shot that nestled safely in the net, beyond the groping arms of Kimiss Zavala in the 32^nd minute.

With five minutes to the interval, Muhammad ran rings around the Mozambican rearguard several times, got into a vantage position for a high strike that flew past Zavala, and found the top right corner for Nigeria’s second.

In the second half, Nigeria’s safe hands Chijioke Aniagboso, was his imperial self as he denied substitute Edson Mucuana from close range in the 55^th minute. At the other end, another scorcher from Lawal rocked Zavala, but he parried it for a corner kick.

In the 76^th minute, substitute Adams Olamilekan failed to find the net after a sweet lay-on by Ahmed Abdullahi. With three minutes to go, Aniagboso again came up big when Jose Rabelina Zavala thought he was in a position to reduce Mozambique’s deficit.

Victory took the Flying Eagles to six points. With Senegal pounding host nation Egypt 4-0 in Cairo to finish top with a maximum of nine points from three matches, Nigeria finished a comfortable second. Flying Eagles will play Uganda, who topped Group B via the ballot rule, in the quarter-finals on Thursday at the Suez Canal Authority Stadium in Ismailia.