FIFA U-20 World Cup: Flying Eagles battle Argentina in Round of 16 clash
Nigeria and Argentina will once again set the global football stage alight as the Round of 16 of this year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup finals begins in Chile on Wednesday evening.
Both countries have fought memorable battles in the FIFA World Cup finals, FIFA U-20 World Cup finals, and at the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament, but the most recent remains Nigeria’s spectacular 2-0 defeat of the Albiceleste in a Round of 16 encounter when Argentina hosted the FIFA U-20 World Cup finals two years ago.
Ibrahim Muhammad and Haliru Sarki got the goals that stunned the hosts and upturned the predictions of most pundits, with the Flying Eagles marching ahead to the quarter-finals, where they lost in extra time to the Republic of Korea.
Two decades ago, the Flying Eagles narrowly lost 1-2 to Argentina in the FIFA U-20 World Cup final in the Netherlands, both Argentine goals coming through penalty kicks converted by Lionel Messi, while Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi scored a brilliant goal for Nigeria.
Argentina have won the FIFA U-20 World Cup six times, while Nigeria have finished with the silver medals twice (1989 and 2005) and the bronze once (1985). However, there will be no inferiority complex on the part of the seven-time African champions when they take to the pitch of the Estadio Nacional Julio Martinez Prádanos in Santiago from 8:30 p.m. Nigeria time on Wednesday.
Self-belief, a sense of purpose and pride, and resilience got the wards of Aliyu Zubair through the group stage, with four points earned against Saudi Arabia and Colombia. The Colombians are unlikely to forget how the West Africans dominated a game they were tipped to easily win.
Coach Zubair must pick a new man to team up with Tahir Maigana and Kparobo Arierhi in attack, with Suleman Sani suspended after accumulating two yellow cards in the group stage.
The Flying Eagles arrived in Santiago from Talca on Monday evening and will conduct a training session on Tuesday evening ahead of the clash with Argentina.
