By Victor Kanayo
Nigeria beat defending champions Senegal on Monday to become the first African country to book a ticket to the 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup finals.
Nigeria, two-time runners-up, have also reached the semi-final of the ongoing U20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, after conquering their fellow West Africans in the quarter-final.
Flying to Chile
A battling encounter at the Suez Canal Authority Stadium in Ismailia finished scoreless even after extra time, and the match had to be settled via a penalty shootout in Egypt’s third city.
Nigerian goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt turned out to be the hero, punching over a vicious shot by the dangerous Ibrahima Dieng in the 54th minute, and then saving two kicks in the shootout before Ousmane Konaté blasted his effort against the post to hand victory to the Flying Eagles.
An intense opening stage in sunny Ismailia soon gave way to end-to-end action, and the defending champions came close in the 27th minute when Harcourt inadvertently dropped the ball, but Dieng failed to capitalise.
Fifteen minutes later, the Lion Cubs again broke forward, but Dieng’s header struck the upright.
Nigeria largely controlled proceedings in the final quarter-hour, with Divine Oliseh, Kparobo Arierhi and substitute Precious Benjamin all missing good chances.
In extra time, substitute Tahir Maigana rattled Senegal goalkeeper Mouhamed Sissokho with a great shot from distance, and Israel Ayuma’s heaved effort from a free-kick on the left forced Sissokho to backtrack quickly and tip the ball over the bar.
After substitute Pierre Diatta Dorival’s first kick in the shootout was saved by Harcourt and Precious Benjamin scored, Nigeria rose to ascendancy and won after further goals by Emmanuel Chukwu and Israel Ayuma, while the Senegalese converted only one of their four kicks.
Victory sets the Flying Eagles up against the winner of Monday night’s clash between South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo, also at the same venue.
