How Golden Eaglets Tamed Chileans in FIFA U-17 World Cup

Battle Croatia tomorrow
An Arsenal fans took to the street in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria celebrating the revival of their Champions League hopes, following the club’s crucial victory over Bayern Munich at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night, members of the Golden Eaglets were busy teaching their Chilean counterparts how to play soccer at the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup.

At the end of the encounter, which took place at Estadio Sausalito, Vina Del Mar, in the early hours of yesterday, the Nigerians out-scored Chile 5-1 to book their ticket from Group A into the round of 16.

Though Nigeria still have a match to play in the Group, the Emmanuel Amuneke-led side showed the stuff of a defending champions throughout the duration of the game.

Due to time difference, many Nigerian soccer fans were forced to stay awake till 12 midnight for the game to kick off and they were not disappointed.

The match was barely 30 seconds when Eaglets’ forward Samuel Chukwueze struck to record the fastest goal in the on-going FIFA U-17 World Cup.

The fans were still in excitement mood, when another midfielder Kelechi Nwakali scored the second goal in the 17th minutes by converting a penalty awarded Nigeria following a foul committed by a Chilean player inside the box.

The Golden Eaglets who defeated USA 2-0 in their opening Group match in Santiago on Saturday night maintained the tempo to keep scoreline at 2-0 in the first half.

On resumption of the second stanza, the Nigerians added the third goal in the 61st minutes, when Samuel Chukwueze struck again.

The Chileans became restless and aggressive at this point, thereby committing another foul inside the box to the Golden Eaglets another penalty kick, which Victor Osimeh converted in the 66th minutes to record the fourth goal.

The Chileans reduced the tally in the 81st minutes, but in the 86th minutes, Victor Osimeh made it fifth goal for Nigeria after Funsho Bamgboye was sent off the pitch.

Nigeria will face Croatia in their last Group A match tomorrow. Croatia have just two points from two matches following their 2-2 draw with USA on Tuesday night. They had battled to a 1-1 draw against host, Chile, in their opening game on Saturday night. USA and Chile will battle in the other fixture tomorrow.