The Flying Eagles sealed their place in the round of 16 at the U-20 World Cup in Chile after a dramatic 1-1 draw with Colombia, thanks to a late Daniel Bamayi penalty.
Despite going behind, the Nigerian youngsters showed grit and resilience to battle back, finishing as one of the best third-placed teams in the group stages.
Winger Suleiman Sani, who came agonisingly close to scoring after hitting the crossbar, praised his teammates for their effort and fighting spirit.
“I’m very happy that we qualified for the knockout stage,” Sani said after the match.
“Determination and teamwork helped us to get the result against Colombia and now we are through. Hopefully we will not struggle the way we struggled in the group stage and even though I will not be part of them (against Argentina) I trust my teammates not to disappoint.”
Unfortunately for Sani, he will miss the round of 16 clash against six-time champions Argentina after receiving his second yellow card of the tournament. His absence will be a blow to the Flying Eagles’ attack, but the winger remains confident in the squad’s ability to rise to the occasion.
The task ahead is monumental, as Nigeria face Argentina on Wednesday in a blockbuster knockout showdown. With history and talent on Argentina’s side, the Flying Eagles will need another display of determination and teamwork to keep their World Cup dreams alive.
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