The Flying Eagles of Nigeria head into halftime with a mountain to climb, trailing 2–0 against a sharp and organized Argentina side in their Round of 16 clash at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.
Argentina made their intentions clear from the opening whistle, finding the back of the net just two minutes into the game.
Alejo Sarco opened the scoring with a composed left-footed finish from close range after connecting with Dylan Gorosito’s precise assist. The early goal stunned Nigeria, who struggled to find their rhythm in the opening stages.
The Flying Eagles soon grew into the game, with Israel Ayuma coming close in the 11th minute when his header from Salihu Nasiru’s corner sailed narrowly over the bar.
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Nigeria continued to push forward, but their momentum was halted in the 23rd minute when Maher Carrizo doubled Argentina’s lead with a superbly struck left-footed free kick that curled into the bottom right corner.
The goal underlined Argentina’s set-piece precision and punished Nigeria for their defensive lapses.
From that point, the half became increasingly physical, with several fouls disrupting the flow of play. Nigeria’s Daniel Daga, Amos Ochoche, and Salihu Nasiru were repeatedly involved in tough midfield duels as they tried to regain control.
Nasiru’s persistence, however, earned him a yellow card in the 33rd minute for a bad foul — one of several bookings in an intense first half.
Argentina also had injury concerns, as Álvaro Montoro was forced off in the 38th minute, replaced by Gianluca Prestianni after suffering a knock that temporarily halted play. Earlier, Maher Carrizo, one of Argentina’s standout performers, had also received medical attention but recovered to continue.
Nigeria did carve out another good chance in the 30th minute when Tahir Maigana latched onto a through ball from Israel Ayuma, only to see his effort saved by Argentine goalkeeper Santino Barbi. Moments later, Maigana tried again from distance in the 37th minute but his left-footed strike flew high and wide.
The biggest moment of controversy came in the 39th minute, when Nigeria appealed for a penalty following a challenge inside the Argentine box. After a lengthy VAR review, the referee waved play on, ruling “No Penalty” to the frustration of the Flying Eagles.
Despite flashes of attacking intent, Nigeria were second-best for much of the first half. Argentina dominated possession and controlled the tempo, with Carrizo and Valentino Acuña orchestrating play from midfield and constantly putting the Nigerian defense under pressure.
As the halftime whistle blew, Nigeria trudged off the pitch needing a major tactical rethink.
Head coach Ladan Bosso will be expected to inject urgency and creativity into his team’s play if they are to mount a comeback in the second half.
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