Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets have entered the Guinness Book of Records as the only nation in the world to have won the FIFA U-17 World Cup five times, when they defeated fellow West Africans, Mali 2-0 in the final in Chile earlier this morning, to lift the trophy.
The game against the Maliens began with some pulse-stopping moments when Nigeria, as early as the 3rd minute, got a penalty. Chato was adjudged to have handled Osimhen’s cross in the Malien box, but Osinachi Ebere shot straight at keeper Samuel Diarra.
The Maliens had looked the more enterprising side in the first half, but the Nigerians who only showed glimpses of creativity in the first half returned with a vengeance in the second half. Udochukwu Anumudu’s scorcher hit the wood-work and Victor Osimhen’s left-legged loop hit was parried by Diarra. Then Osiimhen got a through-pass from Stephen Chukwueke in the 56th minute and wasted no time in sending it in.
The Nigerians piled on the pressure and, three minutes later, Funsho Bamgboye sent a thumping shot past an utterly helpless Diarra to double the Eaglets’ lead.
The determined Maliens, who found themselves in the final of the cadet championship for the first time, left nothing to chance, as they threw all they got into the game. But Coach Emmanuel Amuneke’s pep-talk must have sunk in, as his wards gave no inch to their intense opponents.
Victor Osimhen’s strike in the final took his haul to 10, making him the competition’s all-time highest scorer, above France’s Sinama Pongolle (2001) and Mali’s Souleymane Coulibaly (2008).
The Golden Eaglets, in the run-up, enjoyed favourable results at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos, beating USA 2-0, before coasting to victory at the Estadio Sausalito in Vina del Mar with a crushing 5-1 win over Chile in their second group phase match.
The last group game was against Croatia at the Estadio Francisco Sanchez Rumoroso, ending 1-2, in favour of the determined Croatians.
The team marched on to annihilate Australia 6-0 in the second round and battered Brazil 3-0 in the quarter final, before dispatching the fierce Mexicans 4-2 in the semi-final.
With five wins (1985, 1993, 2007, 2013 and 2015), Nigeria has the highest record of triumphs in the global cadet championship, followed by Brazil with three.
-Leadership