By Victor Kanayo
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles Friday humiliated their Tunisian counterparts 4-0 to grab bronze in the ongoing 17th U20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
It was somewhat any easy win for the seven times champions who slipped to 0-1 defeat against Gambia in the semi-final berth few days ago.
The outcome of that encounter didn’t change anything as the Nigerians are already FIFA World Cup-bound.
At the third place match, it was clear from the first few minutes that the West African soccer powerhouse had shaken off the lethargy from their lone goal semi-final defeat to The Gambia on Monday, which upturned their dreams of an eighth continental title for Nigeria.
Ibrahim Muhammad, whose rocket accounted for one of the two goals that sank Mozambique in the group phase and shot the Flying Eagles to the quarter-finals, put the Tunisians to task by scoring only nine minutes into the clash at the mammoth Cairo International Stadium.
Belgium-based forward Ahmed Abdullahi increased the yoke on the North Africans with the second goal barely after the re-start, and Jude Sunday made it three for Nigeria only two minutes after to put daylight between themselves and the Young Carthage Eagles
Man-of-the-match Jude Sunday rounded off a blistering afternoon and good day in the office for the Flying Eagles with a fourth goal in the 90th minute.
Victory earned Nigeria the bronze medals for a record-extending fourth time at the competition.
The Flying Eagles will also be one of the 24 teams in the pot on 31st March when FIFA conducts the draw for the FIFA U20 World Cup taking place in Indonesia May 20 to June 11.
