BY OJO SAMSON AYOMIDE
Seven-time African champions Nigeria put up an impressive performance against Colombia in the early hours of Monday to reach the Round of 16 of the ongoing FIFA U20 World Cup finals in Chile.
Goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt made big saves in the 23rd and 26th minutes to keep the scoreline pristine in Talca, but the Flying Eagles were the more adventurous side as they hit the upright on a number of occasions, with Tahir Maigana, Kparobo Arierhi and Suleman Sani in full flow for large swatches of the encounter.
Colombia went ahead in the 51st when Kener Gonzalez swept the ball in off an assist by Neyser Villareal, but the Flying Eagles were undaunted and launched onslaught after onslaught against the South Americans at the Estadio Fiscal de Talca.
Defender Odinaka Okoro was denied by the goalkeeper as he headed the ball from a pull-out by Maigana in the 76th minute.
However, the two-time silver medallists got their breakthrough with four minutes left in regulation time, when captain Daniel Bameyi sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the penalty spot after a shot by Maigana was handled in the box.
Nigeria came close to earning the winner in the 89th minute, but Arierhi’s shot was blocked in the box.
The draw sets up Nigeria against Argentina at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martinez Pradanos in Santiago on Wednesday, in what is a repeat of the quarter-final pairing of the last championship hosted by Argentina, which Nigeria won 2-0 in San Juan.
Colombia will confront another African side, South Africa, while Norway will take on Paraguay in the Round of 16.
