The Nigerian Golden Eaglets beat Iran 4 – 1 in a
round of 16 match at the Kalifa Bin Zayed
Stadium in Al Ain City. Three-time champions Nigeria had no trouble
with Iran racking up three goals in the first half en
route to a 4-1 scoreline. The result sets up a
quarter-final date for the Nigerians with Uruguay,
a game in which they will likely be missing two of
their best attackers – Kalechi Iheanacho and Success Isaac – through injury. Nigeria came out all guns blazing in the opening
seconds. Iheanacho, who scored four goals in the
opener on this very pitch, fired a vicious shot from
the corner of the penalty area inside the first
minute that only just flew over the bar. It wasn’t
long after that Chidiebere Nwakali raced through midfield on the end of an elegant heel flick from
Zaharaddeen Bello. His shot from way out,
however, also went over the goal. The pressure was mounting on Iran, who’d been
so sturdy up to this point in the competition.
Nigeria were attacking up both flanks and
crossing dangerously, but the storm subsided and
Iran began to get some touches on the ball. And
when Nwakali tried to dribble the ball out of defence, he was stripped by Mohammad Bazaj,
whose effort from a tight angle after 21 minutes
was the Iranian’s first chance of the half. All that did was make the Nigerians angry. The
Eaglets were into the lead just seconds later when
Musa Yahaya pulled off an outrageous move to
leave his man for dead at the edge of the penalty
area. He sent in a low diagonal ball to Samuel
Okon, who sliced in from a tight angle. Two minutes later it was 2-0 for the Africans. Taiwo
Awoniyi, on for the injured Success Isaac, pulled
the ball across the 18-yard line for Iheanacho,
who dispatched his fifth goal of the tournament.
It would be the impressive No10’s last action, as
he pulled his hamstring shortly after and signaled for a substitute. Captain Musa Muhammed grabbed a third goal for
Nigeria five minutes from the interval, taking
advantage of some slack marking to burst into
the area and score to make it 3-0 at the break. The second half lacked the total attacking sparkle
of the first, but the Nigerians remained in full
control. In the 78th minute, Yahaya dropped his
shoulder brilliantly again – pulling out his
signature move – before firing low into the corner
from 25 yards. Iran managed a consolation goal six minutes from time. Substitute Ali Gholizadeh
scored from the edge of the box with the Nigerian
defenders suffering from a bit of understandable
complacency. It was clearly too little too late for
Iran though, as Nigeria’s dominant performance
will likely send a chill up the spine of Uruguay, who they will meet in the last eight.
round of 16 match at the Kalifa Bin Zayed
Stadium in Al Ain City. Three-time champions Nigeria had no trouble
with Iran racking up three goals in the first half en
route to a 4-1 scoreline. The result sets up a
quarter-final date for the Nigerians with Uruguay,
a game in which they will likely be missing two of
their best attackers – Kalechi Iheanacho and Success Isaac – through injury. Nigeria came out all guns blazing in the opening
seconds. Iheanacho, who scored four goals in the
opener on this very pitch, fired a vicious shot from
the corner of the penalty area inside the first
minute that only just flew over the bar. It wasn’t
long after that Chidiebere Nwakali raced through midfield on the end of an elegant heel flick from
Zaharaddeen Bello. His shot from way out,
however, also went over the goal. The pressure was mounting on Iran, who’d been
so sturdy up to this point in the competition.
Nigeria were attacking up both flanks and
crossing dangerously, but the storm subsided and
Iran began to get some touches on the ball. And
when Nwakali tried to dribble the ball out of defence, he was stripped by Mohammad Bazaj,
whose effort from a tight angle after 21 minutes
was the Iranian’s first chance of the half. All that did was make the Nigerians angry. The
Eaglets were into the lead just seconds later when
Musa Yahaya pulled off an outrageous move to
leave his man for dead at the edge of the penalty
area. He sent in a low diagonal ball to Samuel
Okon, who sliced in from a tight angle. Two minutes later it was 2-0 for the Africans. Taiwo
Awoniyi, on for the injured Success Isaac, pulled
the ball across the 18-yard line for Iheanacho,
who dispatched his fifth goal of the tournament.
It would be the impressive No10’s last action, as
he pulled his hamstring shortly after and signaled for a substitute. Captain Musa Muhammed grabbed a third goal for
Nigeria five minutes from the interval, taking
advantage of some slack marking to burst into
the area and score to make it 3-0 at the break. The second half lacked the total attacking sparkle
of the first, but the Nigerians remained in full
control. In the 78th minute, Yahaya dropped his
shoulder brilliantly again – pulling out his
signature move – before firing low into the corner
from 25 yards. Iran managed a consolation goal six minutes from time. Substitute Ali Gholizadeh
scored from the edge of the box with the Nigerian
defenders suffering from a bit of understandable
complacency. It was clearly too little too late for
Iran though, as Nigeria’s dominant performance
will likely send a chill up the spine of Uruguay, who they will meet in the last eight.
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