By Ernest Victor
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles picked up a crucial 3-2 victory over Saudi Arabia in a pulsating Group F clash at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Talca, Chile, on Friday morning, keeping their hopes of advancing to the knockout stage firmly alive.
National Beam recalls that the Flying Eagles recorded this win after losing their opening match at the tournament to Norway on Monday
Against Saudi Arabia earlier today, October 3, the seven-time African champions started brightly, with midfielder Nasiru Salihu opening the scoring in the 10th minute, slotting home Nigeria’s first goal of the tournament.
Their lead, however, lasted just eleven minutes as Amar Alyuhaybi struck to pull the Saudis level.
Amos Ochoche restored Flying Eagles’ advantage with a composed finish seven minutes before the break, ensuring the Flying Eagles went into halftime with a 2-1 lead. But the spirited Saudis were not done yet. Six minutes after the restart, Talal Haji pounced to equalise once again, setting up a tense second half.
Just when it looked like both sides would share the spoils, Nigeria’s captain Daniel Bameyi stepped up in added time to convert a penalty, sealing all three points in dramatic fashion.
The hard-fought win leaves Flying Eagles of Nigeria in a promising position.
With three points now in the bag, the two-time U-20 World Cup finalists know that a positive result against Colombia in their final group fixture on Monday will be enough to guarantee passage into the Round of 16.
Discover more from NATIONAL BEAM
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
