Amajita of South Africa have qualified for the final of the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations after defeating Nigeria’s Flying Eagles in the first semi-finals on Thursday.
Despite playing most parts of the game on the back foot South Africa came out tops thanks to a howler by Flying Eagles goalkeeper Ajia Yakub, who replaced the injured Ebenezer Harcourt.
This is the first time the South Africans will reach the final since the 1997 edition where they finished second.
The Flying Eagles will now face either Morocco or hosts Egypt in the third-placed play-off on Sunday, May 18 in Cairo.
The Flying Eagles had the game’s first chance after they were awarded a free-kick in a promising area but Tahir Maigana saw his effort well saved by the South African keeper.
In the 18th minute a corner-kick from the Flying Eagles almost dropped into the net but it landed on the cross bar and went away for a goal kick.
The Flying Eagles continued to press for the opener and went close again on 22 minutes but Kparobo Arierhi failed to head home Clinton Jephta’s cross.
On the half hour mark Arierhi ran on to a pass, raced towards goal but fired off target.
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The South Africans almost took the lead against the run of play following a dangerous cross but Daniel Bameyi cleared the danger for a corner.
Arierhi had a great opportunity on 37 minutes but could not keep his left foot strike down as it went just over the bar.
Just two minutes later the striker saw his left foot sttike deflect away for a corner.
In two minutes of first half added time Maigana sent in a dangerous curler which narrowly went wide.
The Flying Eagles had to replace first choice goalkeeper Harcourt on 51 minutes due to suspected injury.
Ten minutes later a miscommunication between a Flying Eagles defender and his goalkeeper almost resulted in a goal but the latter quickly gathered the ball before a lurking South African could pounce.
Tje deadlock was eventually broken by South Africa on 66 minutes through Smith who headed a cross into an empty net, after the Flying Eagles keeper wandered out of his goal line in an attempt to catch a cross.
The Flying Eagles poured forward for the equaliser and went close as Bidemi Amole intercepted a poor clearance but his low shot failed to trouble the keeper.
With 10 minutes left Amole went close again with another low strike but tue keeper plamed it away.
The Flying Eagles continued to pile the pressure and could have leveled up on 84 minutes only for Auwal Ibrahim’s low strike going just wide.
In the 89th minute Israel Ayuma had a good chance as he rose to nod a cross but the keeper punched goal-bound attmept away.
By James Agberebi
6 Comments
SA beat so called Elkanemi U20 team not the Flying Eagles of Naija. A team someone will be nagging while they play. No soccer sense and skills. Instead of this Zubairu to take this no soccer sense and skills to U 20 world cup , is better Naija never qualified. I bet taking such a poor team to world cup will cause many Naijas HIGH BP
It is great that the team qualified for the world cup. This team has no quality. Only the captain and the young goal keeper are the only flying eagles material. The rest are not good enough.
The NFF should better get a new coach who will look for good players and build a team for the world cup.
That is, if they want to win the world cup. But if they just want to add to the number, they can continue with this team.
Only the captain and the young keeper should be taken from this squad.
NFF concerned about building a formidable team? Perish the thought. As long as they are always able to poach foreign born players for Super Eagles, the feeder teams are only used to promote their candidates for “lucrative” offers in mundane leagues.
While more serious African nations are busy unearthing talents from their younger teams since they are too proud to go beg for national team spots, NFF will be so keen to do the opposite.
The flying eagles only scored one goal in 4 matches at a major competition. 4 competitive matches.
Our football glory is long gone. Super falcons that are our only hope haven’t played together in 6 months and want wafcon trophy next month because NFF is only concerned to steal, steal and steal more, not for development of our football.
This is the worst tenure of glasshouse. Wetin concern me. This too will pass.
Nonsense! Stupid sets of players and coaches.
Please this team have no business at the World cup, let them sell their spot to another country. Since the inception of the tournament they have played rubbish. No co-ordination. Who ever recommended that substitute goal keeper must be crazy. Imagine he plays for a club in Croatia. If they have to attend the world cup, please over-haul the team. This is the worst flying eagles have come across.
That team is cash and carry. The worst Flying eagles team i have seen in thirty years. The second goalkeeper conceded 7 goals in a league match. How he made the team is still a mystery. Tribalism will not let NFF people do the right thing.NFF will destroy Nigeria football like the way Buhari destroyed Nigeria. Just don’t hope on good things for now.