NIGERIA'S Golden have won the World U17 World Cup for a record fourth time with a devastating 3-0 victory over Mexico today at the 15th edition of the tournament today in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
By far the most exciting team of the tournament, the Eaglets were always the bookies favourites to emerge champions after a scintillating display that had seen them score 23 goals in six games. In their opening match, the Eaglets had beaten defending champions Mexico 6-1 but the Mexicans have since rallied and done well to reach the final, beating Brazil, among others along the way.
Today, however, their good fortune came to an end as the Eaglets started the game in devastating fashion, taking the lead as early as the ninth minute. In typical style, the Eaglets broke from their own half and their devastating counter-attack left the Mexicans bare at the back as the trio of Musa Yahaya, Taiwo Awoniyi and Kelechi Iheanacho swept forward.
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After some neat inter-play between the trio, the ball was laid on a plate for Yahaya, who was just about to slot the ball home when Mexican right fullback Erick Aguirre put a foot in and diverted the ball into his own net. Fifa recorded the ball as an own goal, denying Yahaya, who very nearly got a goal no one could dispute later on in the game when he rattled the crossbar in the 4oth minute.
After another swift counter-attack, the Eaglets had left the Mexican defence for dead and after Yahaya had beaten the last man, his shot cannoned off the upright. After that Nigeria pressed on for the remainder of the half but the Mexicans managed to keep the score at a respectable 1-0 until half time.
On resumption of the game, the Mexicans started off brilliantly forcing Eaglets goalkeeper Dele Alampasu into a string of early saves. After about 10 minutes, however, their bravado fizzled out and once more the Eagles caught them out on the counter-attack when a fierce shot from skipper Musa Mohammed was parried by the Mexican goalkeeper Raul Gudino, straight into the path of Iheanacho, who made it two with a simple tap-in.
His goal in the 56th minute more or less ended the tie as a contest. It also created a new world record of 25 goals being scored by a team in an U17 World Cup final, breaking Germany's previous record of 24 set two years ago.
In the 81st minute, the game was sealed when captain Mohammed floated home a beautiful free kick to make it three nil. After that, the last nine minutes were just spent observing formalities as the fight went out of the Mexicans and the delirious Nigerian fans danced non-stop in the stands.
Nigeria has also become the first country ever to win the U17 World Cup four times, having lifted the trophy thrice already in 1985, 1993 and 2007. This tournament has also produced an array of talent like Iheanacho, Yahaya, Mohammed, Alampasu, Awoniyi, Isaac Success, Samuel Okon and Aliyu Abubakar, who are expected to go on and become greats like predecessors such as Nwankwo Kanu, Wilson Oruma and Lukman Haruna.
- NigerianWatch
CONGRATS BOY!
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