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Emma Njoku
The Flying Eagles, yesterday got off to a blistering start at the FIFA U20 World Cup in Poland with a 4-0 thrashing of Qatar in the opening match of the tournament.
The Nigerian side dominated the match from the blast of the whistle, scoring two first half goals and another two in the second to get maximum points to top Group D.
Mohammed Waad’s free kick in the eighth minute was the best chance in the opening 10 minutes of the match as the ball went just wide.
But in the 12th minute, the Flying Eagles got their noses in front, courtesy of a sublime move down the left from Ikouwem Utin. Maxwell Effiom was on had to volley home Utin’s cross which the goalkeeper parried into the goal to give Nigeria a 1-0 lead against the Middle East nation.
Utin was involved again in the second as he cut back a low cross for Henry Offia, who sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to make it 2-0 in the 24th minute.
The Flying Eagles went into the break the happier side of the two with 2-0 advantage. Paul Aibogun’s boys were not done yet as Tom Dele-Bashiru made it 3-0 in the 68th minute to put the lead beyond Qatari side.
And Aliu Salwaudeen completed the rout in the 74th minute to hand the Flying Eagles a comfortable 4-0 win in Group that also have Ukraine and the United States.
Nigeria’s next game will be against the American side on Monday, while Ukraine will slug it out against Qatar.
