The
Golden Eaglets on Tuesday advanced to the quarterfinals of the FIFA
U-17 World Cup after they trashed Iran 4-1 at the Khalifa Bin Zayed
Stadium, Al Ain City, United Arab Emirates.
Nigeria will engage Uruguay, who
defeated Slovakia 4-2 in another Round of 16 fixture in Ras Al-Khaimah
earlier in the day, in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
The Eaglets began on a lively mood and Kelechi Iheanacho and Chidiebere Nwakali should have scored in the early minutes.
Iran got into the game gradually but it
was the Eaglets who got the lead in the 23rd minute when left-back
Samuel Okon tapped in a low ball from Musa Yahaya past the outstretched
hands of Iran goalkeeper Mahdi Amini to send the Nigerian supporters
into rapturous celebrations.
Just two minutes later, Iheanacho got
his fifth goal of the tournament. The impressive forward started the
move off a counter-attack in the Nigerian half, sending a long ball to
Taiwo Awoniyi, who controlled before passing to the onrushing Iheanacho
to finish beautifully from the edge of the box.
The striker is now joint-second on the
tournament top scorer’s list with Slovakian Tomas Vestenicky. Brazilian
Boschilia tops the list with six goals.
However, there was apprehension on the
Nigerian bench as Iheanacho was carried off the pitch after pulling a
hamstring. He joins fellow striker Success Isaac on the injury list.
The Eaglets should have been three goals
up in the 31st minute but for an amazing double saves from Amini.
However, Musa Mohammed punished the Iranians three minutes before the
break.
The Nigerian captain pounced on a poor
clearance by an Iranian defender, controlled, before unleashing a
rasping drive into the net.
Nigeria increased the pressure in the
second period but Iran managed to hang on without conceding further
goals until the 76th minute when some bit of individual brilliance from
Musa Yahaya made score 4-0 for the Eaglets.
The hardworking midfielder beat a
defender 25 yards out and let loose a shot that had a slight deflection
before flying past Amini for his tournament’s fourth goal.
The depressed look on Amini’s face told
the story: it was the end of the road for the Iranians while three-time
champions Nigeria set up a quarterfinal clash with Uruguay in Sharjah on
Saturday.
And even though Ali Gholizadeh got a consolation for the Arabs six minutes from time, it was too little too late.
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