Connect with us

U20 FOOTBALL

Nigeria – Korea duel marks 40th anniversary of Flying Eagles’ U20 maiden outing

Published

on

6a0c4d18-flying-eagles.png

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

  • 4 June 1983: Monterrey – Soviet Union 0-1 Nigeria
  • 4 June 2023: Santiago – Korea Rep ?-? Nigeria

It is on this day 40 years ago that the Flying Eagles defeated the Soviet Union in Monterrey in the U20 World Cup. It was also Nigeria’s first outing in a FIFA organised tournament as the featuring at the 1968 and that of 1980 Olympics were under the auspices of the IOC.

Symbolically,  the Nigeria – Korea Republic quarter-final duel  at the Santiago del Estero Stadium offers a perfect anniversary package.

It will be the Flying Eagles’ 61st match in the series as the 2-0 defeat of Argentina was Nigeria’s milestone 60th match.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.