Nigeria's U20 coach, Aliyu Zubairu praised his players' resilience and tactical discipline after the Flying Eagles secured a 1-1 draw with Colombia, sealing their qualification for the Round of 16 at the FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
The match, played at the Estadio Fiscal in Talca, saw Nigeria dominate the first half, hitting the post and crossbar on multiple occasions.
However, it was Colombia who took the lead six minutes into the second half through Kener González's clinical finish.
Despite the setback, the Flying Eagles refused to give up, pushing for an equalizer.
Their persistence was rewarded in the 86th minute when captain Daniel Bameyi converted a penalty, securing the vital point needed for Nigeria's qualification.
Coach after the game applaud the team's fighting spirit.
"It wasn’t easy, but we stood our ground and were proactive,” Zubairu said.
"We knew they are physically strong and good on the ball, so we tried to deny them passing lanes, and that gave us a little edge.
"All we wanted was to qualify for the next round, and we are not worried about who we have to face.”
The Flying Eagles will now face Argentina in the knockout stage, a team that won all three of their group games.
By Olujimi Dare Ogun