Nigeria’s Flying Eagles battled to a 1-1 draw against Colombia in their final group game at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Talca on Monday morning to book a place in the Round of 16.
Aliyu Zubairu’s boys came close early on when Molde midfielder Daniel Daga rattled the crossbar in the third minute. Goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt then kept Nigeria in the contest with several key saves.
Colombia thought they had taken the lead through Oscar Perea in the 21st minute, but the effort was ruled out for offside. The South Americans eventually broke the deadlock six minutes after the restart through Kener Gonzalez.
Nigeria responded strongly, with Sani Suleiman and Tana Maigana both hitting the woodwork before the breakthrough came late on. With five minutes left, the Flying Eagles won a penalty after a Colombian defender handled inside the box. Captain Daniel Bameyi stepped up to convert from the spot for the second consecutive match.
The result means Nigeria advanced as one of the best third-placed teams and will face tournament hosts Argentina in the Round of 16.
The clash is scheduled for Wednesday at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos in Santiago, with kickoff at 8:30 p.m. Nigerian time.
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