NIGERIA’s Flying Eagles began their 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup campaign in Chile on a frustrating note after falling 0-1 to Norway in their opening Group C fixture on Monday night, despite dominating possession and creating several gilt-edged chances.
News Point Nigeria Sports report that the match was decided as early as the 9th minute when Norway converted a controversial penalty, leaving the two-time runners-up chasing the game.
Nigeria rallied fiercely in the second half, twice denied strong penalty appeals while striking the upright and firing narrowly wide on several occasions.
In the 47th minute, forward Kparobo Arierhi came close to equalizing with a left-footed strike that drifted inches off target.
Sixteen minutes later, Tahir Maigana rattled the upright with a fierce shot, as the Europeans retreated deep to defend in numbers.
Nigeria’s onslaught continued, with Nasiru Salihu sending a rising shot just over the crossbar in the 71st minute, before Maigana again went close from distance in the dying stages.
Despite the defeat, optimism remains high within the Nigerian camp. The Flying Eagles will next face Saudi Arabia on Thursday before their final group-stage clash with Colombia on Monday.
Captain Daniel Bameyi insists the team remains firmly focused on ending Nigeria’s decades-long wait for a U-20 world title.
“The target is to fly the nation’s flag to the highest level. We want to be champions, and that’s why we have been preparing for every single game,” he told Olympics.com.
The Bayelsa United defender, making his second appearance at the tournament, expressed confidence in the squad’s depth and quality.
“Nigeria is a powerhouse in youth football. With the quality of this squad and our technical crew, I believe we can achieve anything we want to.”
Nigeria, making their 14th appearance at the competition, boast a decorated history that includes two finals (1989 and 2005) and five quarter-final appearances.
However, the ultimate prize has remained elusive, a gap the current generation, guided by head coach Aliyu Zubairu, is determined to close.
Zubairu, who led the team to third place at the 2025 U-20 AFCON in Egypt, pledged his players would approach each game with focus and respect for their opponents.
“We cannot compromise as long as we have the ambition of going beyond our past record,” he said before departing for Chile.
The squad features a blend of homegrown talents and foreign-based stars, including goalkeepers Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos) and Clinton Ezekiel (Bayelsa United), defender Ocheche Amos Onyejefu (Stade de Reims, France), midfield dynamo Daniel Daga (Molde FC, Norway), and striker Achichi Oseer (Royal Antwerp, Belgium).
As the Flying Eagles regroup for their remaining group fixtures, Nigerian fans will be hoping that the promise of this exciting squad can finally translate into lifting the U-20 World Cup trophy.