Nigeria’s Flying Eagles Beats Dominican Republic 2-1 In U-20 World Cup [Watch Highlights]

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles secured a 2-1 victory against Dominican Republic to kick-start their journey in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Mendoza, Argentina.

The Nigeria’s U-20 male football team showcased their resilience by claiming a remarkable come-from-behind victory of 2-1 over the Dominican Republic in their opening match on Sunday night, May 21, 2023.

Placed in a challenging group alongside Italy and five-time champions Brazil, both Nigeria and the Dominican Republic knew the importance of securing a favorable outcome from Sunday’s game.

The initial stages of the match on Sunday at Estadio Malvinas Argentinas in Mendoza were fiercely contested, with both teams vying for control of the game’s tempo.

In the 21st minute, the Dominican Republic broke the deadlock when 19-year-old Edison Azcona calmly converted a penalty following a VAR review that revealed a foul committed by Nigeria’s Benjamin Frederick in the box.

Despite this early setback, the Flying Eagles, considered the favorites in the Group D encounter, demonstrated commendable determination.

They relentlessly attacked the Dominican defense, with Jude Sunday, who operated on the left flank of the attack, proving to be a constant threat.

In the 32nd minute, Nigeria finally equalized through an own goal by Guillermo De Pena, capitalizing on an error by Dominican Republic’s goalkeeper, Xavier Valdez.

Both sides made numerous attempts, but it was Nigeria’s Samson Lawal who ultimately proved to be the game-changer by scoring the winning goal in the 70th minute.

Earlier in the match, a goal by Jude Sunday was disallowed due to an offside, adding to the dramatic moments of the game.

The Dominican Republic exhibited commendable resilience and launched multiple attacks in an attempt to level the score, but Nigeria’s goalkeeper, Kingsley Aniogboso, stood tall and made crucial saves.

In the final minutes of the match, Nigeria continued to press forward, seeking to extend their lead. Players like Haliru Sarki and Jude Sunday had additional opportunities, but they were denied by the Dominican Republic’s resilient defense, anchored by their outstanding goalkeeper, Valdez.

At the final whistle, it was Nigeria’s Flying Eagles who emerged victorious, clinching a hard-fought 2-1 win in their opening match.

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles would face Italy on Wednesday, followed by a clash against Brazil three days later in their final group game of the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Watch the highlights below:

This comes two months after Nigeria’s Flying Eagles defeated Tunisia 4-0 to clinch bronze at this year’s U-20 African Cup of Nations (AFCON).