Two second-half goals from Ibrahim Muhammad and Rilwanu Haliru Sarki stunned hosts and title favourites Argentina to send Nigeria into the FIFA U-20 World Cup™ quarter-finals.
The Flying Eagles started brightly, but as the first half wore on La Albiceleste began to dominate. Veliz had two semi-sniffs at goal as the break approached, heading one narrowly over and flicking the other into the arms of Kingsley Aniagboso.
Nigeria made the breakthrough just after the hour. Emmanuel Umeh flicked the ball over the top for Muhammad, who stabbed it past goalkeeper Federico Gomes Gerth. Argentina piled on the pressure in search of a leveller – and came agonisingly close when Luka Romero’s low drive struck the inside of the post – but Haliru Sarki’s late header secured a famous triumph for Nigeria.
Nigeria will now face the Ecuador-Korea Republic winners in the quarter-finals in Santiago del Estero on Sunday.
Nigeria ended a run of 10 straight U-20 World Cup victories for Argentina in Argentina. La Abliceleste had won all seven games when they hosted the tournament in 2001, and their first three at this edition.
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