Nigeria’s U20 men’s national team, the Flying Eagles, settled for a 1-1 draw against hosts Chile in a friendly encounter in Rancagua on Saturday, as both sides fine-tune their preparations for the 24th FIFA U20 World Cup finals set to kick off in seven days.
Ahmed Akinyele put Nigeria ahead in the 18th minute, rising above his markers to power home a header from a well-placed corner by Tahir Maigana. However, the hosts drew level 18 minutes later through Felipe Faúndez, leaving both teams locked at 1-1 before halftime.
Just a minute into the second half, Nigeria’s goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt produced two crucial saves in quick succession to preserve parity. Head coach Ladan Bosso later introduced Abduljelil Kamaldeen, Kparobo Arhieri, and Auwal Ibrahim as the Eagles sought a winner, but the match eventually ended in a stalemate.
The Flying Eagles will continue their build-up with another friendly against Australia’s U20 side on Tuesday, as they sharpen their readiness for the global tournament.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s U20 women’s team, the Falconets, are also set for a crucial test in their 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign. Head Coach Moses Aduku has declared that his side will aim for goals when they face Rwanda in the second-round, first-leg tie in Kigali on Sunday.
“We have had the opportunity to watch the Rwandan girls in their first-round games against Zimbabwe, and we now have an idea of how they play. We will devise strategies to neutralize them and then go for victory,” Aduku told reporters.
Confident in his squad’s ability, the coach added: “We are happy to be playing the first leg away, but at the end, what matters is the effort put into every match, not necessarily the venue. I know the quality of players I have in my team, and I have confidence in them.”
The Falconets’ clash with Rwanda will take place at the Kigali-Pele Stadium, kicking off at 3pm local time (2pm Nigeria time).
Melissa Enoch
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