Nigeria U-20 men’s team, the Flying Eagles, enjoyed a comfortable 2-0 win over Mozambique at the Cairo International Stadium on Saturday to book a spot in the quarterfinals of the ongoing U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.
FULL-TIME! ⏰
✌️ first-half goals are enough for Nigeria to beat Mozambique 🦅#TotalEnergiesAFCONU20 | #MOZNGA pic.twitter.com/6zEwvyJstN
— #TotalEnergiesAFCONU20 (@CAF_Online) February 25, 2023
First-half goals from Samson Adeniran Lawal and Ibrahim ‘Ibeji’ Muhammad secured maximum points for the young Nigerians as they put behind their opening game woes against the Young Teranga Lions of Senegal.
The Flying Eagles were on the front foot from the start, but they lacked the clinical finishing to put them in front early on. However, Lawal opened the scoring in the 33rd minute with a thunderous strike from about 25 yards out to beat goalkeeper Kimiss Zavala.
They kept on applying pressure, but Zavala was mostly up to the task until another wonderful strike from Muhammad. The FC Cartagena forward curled in a sublime effort into the top right corner after receiving the ball on the edge of the box from Nigeria’s hero against Egypt, Solomon Agbalaka, who also won the man of the match award for the second game in a row.
THE FLYING EAGLES SOAR INTO THE QUARTER-FINALS 🦅
🇳🇬 Nigeria advance to the knockout stages ☑️ #TotalEnergiesAFCONU20 | @NGSuperEagles pic.twitter.com/rYbOUdKxm4
— #TotalEnergiesAFCONU20 (@CAF_Online) February 25, 2023
The victory was the Ladan Bosso side’s second of the campaign after their 1-0 defeat of Egypt on Wednesday. They finish second on the Group A standings, while Senegal finish atop the group with a perfect record, eliminating hosts Egypt, and Mozambique in the process.
• Perfect record for Senegal
• Nigeria in second🚨 Group A final standings 🚨#TotalEnergiesAFCONU20 pic.twitter.com/2cjO2Q6eKV
— #TotalEnergiesAFCONU20 (@CAF_Online) February 25, 2023
The Senegalese team coached by Malick Daf have been the best performers at the tournament so far, scoring eight goals and conceding none in its three matches so far.
They saw off the Young Pharaohs 4-0 thanks a second-half hat-trick from Pape Demba Diop and a sublime finish from substitute Ibou Sane.
Diop put the Young Teranga Lions ahead in the 59th minute with a perfectly placed soaring header before Sane doubled the lead ten minutes later by pouncing on an error from an Egyptian defender.
Diop, who plays for Belgian side Zulte Waregem, doubled his tally for the match in the 73rd minute with another header. He completed his hat-trick of headers in the 76th minute, reacting quickest in front of goal after the ball had initially struck the post.
⚽️ 🆚 🇲🇿
⚽️⚽️⚽️ 🆚 🇪🇬No player has scored more goals in the 2023 #TotalEnergiesAFCONU20 than Pape Demba Dioup 🔥 @Fsfofficielle pic.twitter.com/93hf8Sht0d
— #TotalEnergiesAFCONU20 (@CAF_Online) February 25, 2023
The 19-year-old was voted the man of the match, and he rightfully took home the match ball. He is currently the tournament’s leading scorer with four goals.
Senegal will face the third-place team in Group B or C at 3pm WAT, while the Flying Eagles of Nigeria will lock horns with the winners of Group B at the Suez Cana Stadium at 6pm WAT, when the quarterfinals begin on Thursday, March 2nd.
