Seven-time African champions, Nigeria, delivered an impressive performance in the early hours of Monday, October 6, 2025, securing a place in the Round of 16 at the ongoing FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile after a hard-fought 1–1 draw against Colombia.
The match, played at the Estadio Fiscal de Talca, saw goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt emerge as one of Nigeria’s heroes, making crucial saves in the 23rd and 26th minutes to keep the Flying Eagles in the game. Despite Colombia’s attacking pressure, Nigeria looked the more dangerous side for most of the first half, coming close to scoring several times through Tahir Maigana, Kparobo Arierhi, and Suleman Sani, who kept the Colombian defense on edge.
Colombia took the lead in the 51st minute when Kener Gonzalez converted from close range after a well-timed assist from Neyser Villareal. Unshaken by the setback, Nigeria responded with relentless attacking play, pushing forward in waves as they sought an equalizer. Defender Odinaka Okoro nearly leveled the score in the 76th minute, but his powerful header from a Maigana cross was denied by the Colombian goalkeeper.
The breakthrough finally came in the 86th minute when captain Daniel Bameyi calmly converted a penalty after a Colombian defender handled Maigana’s shot inside the box. The equalizer reignited Nigeria’s momentum, and the Flying Eagles came agonizingly close to clinching a winner three minutes later, but Arierhi’s close-range effort was blocked in a crowded penalty area.
The draw was enough to send Nigeria into the knockout stage, where they will face Argentina on Wednesday at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos in Santiago. The clash will rekindle memories of the 2001 tournament hosted by Argentina, when Nigeria defeated the hosts 2–0 in San Juan to reach the semifinals.
Meanwhile, Colombia will face another African opponent, South Africa, while Norway will take on Paraguay in the other Round of 16 fixtures.
The Flying Eagles’ resilience and teamwork against a technically gifted Colombian side have renewed hopes of another deep run in the tournament, as the young Nigerians continue their quest for a maiden U-20 World Cup title.
