March 02, (THEWILL) – The Flying Eagles secured their spot in the semi-finals of the TotalEnergies 2023 Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, after defeating Uganda 1-0 in a hard-fought encounter at the Suez Canal Stadium, on Thursday.
The joy of the victory is dual-pronged as not only does it see the youngsters soar to the semi-finals of the continental competition, but also guarantees Nigeria’s qualification for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Indonesia.
The Hippos controlled the early stages of the match, with captain Isma Mugulusi and Titus Ssematimba, dictating the pace of the game. However, Nigeria’s goalkeeper and captain, Chijioke Aniagboso, denied John Dembe’s shot on goal within the first three minutes of the game.
The battle of the two quarter-finalists was closely contested, with few chances for either side. The breakthrough, however, came for Nigeria when Uganda’s Ibrahim Juma, inadvertently scored an own goal at the half-hour mark.
Despite their best efforts, Uganda were unable to equalise, with Nigeria’s defence standing firm. The Flying Eagles’ victory secures their place in the semi-finals and will see them join U-20 teams from other qualifying countries at the upcoming U-20 World Cup scheduled to hold from May 20 to June 11.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
