Nigeria’s Flying Eagles began their 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup campaign with a frustrating 1-0 defeat to Norway despite dominating large spells of their Group F opener.
The match, played on Tuesday, was decided by an early penalty after Nigeria captain Daniel Bameyi handled the ball inside the area. Norway skipper Rasmus Holten calmly converted from the spot to seal all three points for the Europeans.
Aliyu Zubairu’s side responded with relentless pressure, controlling possession and carving out a series of opportunities, but their finishing repeatedly let them down. Shots rattled the woodwork and others flashed wide as Nigeria failed to find an equaliser.
Head coach Zubairu praised his players for their determination in the face of disappointment. “The boys played their hearts out. They did everything humanly possible to make sure we won the match,” he said after the game. “Even from the start, we created chances, but unfortunately our efforts kept hitting the bar. It just felt like we weren’t lucky.”
The result leaves the Flying Eagles with work to do in a competitive Group F that also features Saudi Arabia and one of South America’s qualifiers. Nigeria, six-time U-20 World Cup finalists and two-time runners-up, will need a positive result in their next fixture against Saudi Arabia on Thursday to revive their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages.
Norway, who are seeking to advance beyond the group phase for the first time in their U-20 World Cup history, now sit level on points with the other early winners in the section.
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