Nigeria’s Flying Eagles held Colombia to a 3-3 draw in their last warm-up game before the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup on Tuesday night.
Ladan Bosso’s side went behind on 20 minutes with Abel Ogwuche conceding an own goal.
Colombia doubled their advantage nine minutes later with Oscar Manuel Cortes converting from the spot.
Jude Sunday reduced the deficit for the Flying Eagles five minutes before the break.
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Colombia regained their two-goal lead immediately after restart with Yaser Asprilla finding the net.
The Flying Eagles fought back with Mohammed Beji reducing the deficit on 65th minute.
Emmanuel Umeh equalised for Nigeria 12 minutes from time.
The West Africans will now fly to Mendoza where they will tackle Dominican Republic and Italy in their opening two games in the competition.
Five-time winners Brazil are other team in the group.
3 Comments
Fighting from two goals down against Colombia is a good sign. one of the things lacked by Ugbade’s lads lacked in their U17 Afcon is the ability to pick themselves up when down.
I hope the boys carry this spirit to the tournament.
Going down trice with 2 goal diff early on in a match is not a good sign Defensively…
The midfield and defense should do more
The Dominican Republic coach says he knows everything concerning his group opponents, including Nigeria. Do we have someone in their technical staff who studies our opponents and reports back to Bosso? Has he got clips of his opponents in the group stage? I bet our opponents in the group stage must have watched our warm-up matches, that is if they don’t have our clips already. These little things help coaches prepare for matches, by studying their opponents style of play, giving instruction on how to mark the dangerous player in the opposing team and giving them good advantage. As they progress they must have seen other opponents, in the competition proper to know how to deal with them-That is if the coach is technically mature. If we can remember Saudi 89, in the final against Portugal, they so studied us that they didn’t give away any free kicks even outside their eighteen yard box, because they knew most of our goals came from free kicks by Chris Ohehe. Well the rest is history, we lost that match 2-0. As for Ugbade and his U-17 boys, it depends on the era you grew up in Nigerian football. I played active football in the mid eighties to late nineties and these guys lacked the basic football principles/tactics we were taught even in school sports-Physically, they’re okay,just a typical African advantage. Ugbade is a product of that era, so he knows. Just one example, the way you give your pass to your team mate makes him a superstar and there’s a way you pass the ball to him, even if he’s super talented you kill his talent. Maradona was always used as example, if an opponent is close marking him and you give him a pass towards his right foot you’re killing him, but put it in his left and leave the rest for him, no matter who’s marking him. Sheilding of the ball, they lacked it, up till today, this one of Iheanacho’s minus. Go take a look at the goal Henry Nwosu scored against Cameroon at Morroc 88 in the final, though disallowed. He got that skill early in his school days. I remember those days our boyhood club in Lagos, the senior team will be trainning, and the coach always screaming to them to nod it down or stab it down when ever a pull out, crossing or corner kick. Football tactically is improving/changing everyday, If any of these U-17’s can make it in Europe, it will take them time, they have to begin in their acedemies. We have the naturally talented players, but nobody will bribe for them.