Nigeria, Chile Battle to Stalemate in U20 World Cup Tune-Up

Nigeria, Chile Battle to Stalemate in U20 World Cup Tune-Up

By Admin 

As part of their final preparations for the 24th FIFA U20 World Cup, the Flying Eagles of Nigeria were held to a 1–1 draw by hosts Chile in a keenly contested friendly match on Saturday in Rancagua.

Nigeria took the lead in the 18th minute, when Ahmed Akinyele rose highest to meet a well-delivered corner kick from Tahir Maigana, powering home a header to put the West Africans in front.

However, the lead lasted just 18 minutes, as Chile responded through Felipe Faúndez, who capitalised on a defensive lapse to slot past the Nigerian goalkeeper and restore parity.

The Flying Eagles nearly conceded early in the second half, but goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt pulled off a pair of crucial saves in quick succession to keep the scores level.

Head Coach Ladan Bosso made several substitutions in the second period to test squad depth, introducing Abduljelil Kamaldeen, Kparobo Arhieri, and Auwal Ibrahim as Nigeria looked to regain control of the match.

The friendly provided valuable match experience and tactical assessment for both sides ahead of the tournament, which kicks off in a week’s time.

Nigeria will continue their preparations with another friendly fixture against Australia’s U20 team on Tuesday, as they fine-tune strategies for a strong campaign at the global showpiece.