A 2-2 draw between Hungary and Australia in Tuesday’s fourth match of Group B confirmed that Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets, who earlier beat Ecuador 3-2 in dramatic fashion qualified in style for the round of 16 at this year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil, megasportsarena.com reports.
Victory for either Australia or Hungary would have put Nigeria’s celebrations on hold, as defeat for the Eaglets in their last group match on Friday, even after Tuesday’s conquest, and another win for any of the other two against Ecuador would have put three teams level on six points each, thereby bringing about permutations of head-to-head, goals difference and fair play.
However, the Eaglets did their job in storming from 2-1 to win 3-2 with only five minutes left on the clock, while Australia held firm to hold Hungary immediately after, thereby confirming that Nigeria became the first team to reach the Round of 16 in Brazil on Tuesday night.
The historic feat came on the back of a superlative hat –trick by Ibrahim Sa’id, whose two goals in the game’s last five minutes turned the table against a well-organized, lively, very cohesive and tactically disciplined Ecuador.
Sa’id put Nigeria in front after only five minutes of the game in Goiania, after Ecuador’s captain and goalkeeper, Lopez made a hash of an attempted pass to his defender, and the very alert lad quickly intercepted the ball and slotted home from outside the box.
The South Americans were level with an own goal five minutes later, as Mejia turned Ferdinand Ikenna from just outside the box and pulled the trigger, as the ball grazed the upright and then went into the net off the back of Nigeria’s goalkeeper, Daniel Jinadu.
The Eaglets had endeavour, enthusiasm and pace, but were easily checkmated by the strong and highly coordinated Ecuadorians. Two minutes to the end of the first period, substitute Akinkunmi Amoo found Sa’id in the box, but the latter could not get the decisive touch needed to pull Nigeria level before the break.
Nine minutes into the second half, Ecuador were awarded a penalty by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) as Charles Etim had a slight contact with an advancing Ecuadorian attacker in a melee. Johan Mina sent Jinadu the wrong way to put the South Americans in the lead.
The Eaglets, five –time world champions, pushed, searched and frisked with determination, just as they did against Hungary in their first match before scoring three goals in six minutes in the second half to beat the Europeans 4-2 and bag the three points at stake.
However, substitutes Ibraheem Jabaar and Amoo had come close and captain Samson Tijani had fired over the bar before Sa’id drew Nigerian level in the 84th minute with a sweet, angled drive after receiving a pass from Jabaar.
Short and stray passes in the opposition’s critical zone, anxiety and wayward shooting did not help the Eaglets’ search for goals as time wore on and, five minutes later, it was Sa’id again, blasting past Lopez from inside the box from a determined team move. Lopez got his hand to the ball but it was too hot to halt its flight into the net.
Jabaar went to the ground when he should have scored and Olakunle Olusegun shot narrowly wide in added time, but the Eaglets picked their three points for a maximum six in two matches and will await their opponents in the Round of 16, even as they travel to Brasilia for their last Group B game against Australia on Friday night.
In the day’s second Group B game, Australia came two goals down to secure a deserved 2-2 draw against Hungary as both teams kept their hopes of progressing alive in Goiania.
Hungary went ahead against the run of play with a two-goal salvo inside six first-half minutes, while Australia finally regained parity with their own quickfire double with 16 minutes remaining.
Hungary seemed on track for a first win since 1985, their last appearance in the tournament, but Australia’s dominance in possession eventually paid dividends with Caleb Watts’ equalizer, in a result that favours Nigeria more than any of the two minnows.
