Nigeria Tackles Mali In U-17 World Cup Final

Fri, Nov 6, 2015
By publisher
2 MIN READ

BREAKING NEWS, Sports

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NIGERIAN Golden Eaglets continued their fine goal scoring form by beating Mexico 4-2 in the semi-final of the Under-17 World Cup in Chile on in early hours of Friday morning, November 6.

The Golden Eaglets, who are the defending champions having won the trophy in 2013, will face Mali in an all Africa FIFA Under-17 World Cup final on Sunday, November 8. Mali had earlier defeated Belgium 3-1 to reach the final.

In the Nigerian game, Kevin Magana opened the scoring for Mexico in the seventh minute by controlling a loose ball in the box and firing home at the near post.

Kelechi Nwakali, captain of the Golden Eaglets, levelled scores for Nigeria with a superbly taken 25-yard free kick in the 35th minute and Orji Okwonkwo later put Nigeria ahead with a shot off the underside of the crossbar.

Mexico equalised after the break when Diego Cortes produced one of the goals of the tournament with a 50-yard solo run, evading five Nigerian players before poking home Mexico’s second.

But it wasn’t long before Nigeria were ahead again through Osinachi Ebere’s strong right-footed shot, and Victor Osimhen, the tournament’s highest goal scorer, made it a comfortable finish with a late penalty.

Osimhen’s ninth goal of the tournament tied the Under-17 World Cup record and the Emmanuel Amuneke tutored lads effectively exorcised the ghost of Nigeria’s failure at the same Estadio Municipal in Concepción, Chile in 1987.

— Nov 6, 2015 @ 12:15 GMT

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