U20 FOOTBALL
South Africa tackle unbeaten Sierra Leone in Group A at U20 AFCON
Sierra Leone and South Africa are poised for their first-ever clash at the Under-20 CAF Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday at the Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia (kick-off 21:00 local time / 18:00 GMT).
Sierra Leone have already secured a quarter-final place, but South Africa will want a win that would see them take a giant step towards the knockout rounds.
Sierra Leone is meeting Southern African opponents for the second time. They drew their opening game 0-0 against Zambia.
This is South Africa’s fourth game against a tournament debutant; they have never defeated a tournament debutant, drawing and then losing to Burkina Faso and Gabon. Their last meeting with a tournament debutant ended 1-1 against Niger in 2019.
Sierra Leone will become South Africa’s 21st different opponent at the finals.
This game will be South Africa’s 18th game against West African opponents. South Africa’s record against West African opponents reads P17 W3 D5 L9.
From their previous 17 games against West African opponents, South Africa have three wins. They defeated Mali in their second group game in 1997 and then opened up with successive wins over Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria in 2009.
South Africa are winless in open play against West African opponents. In their last 9 games against such opposition, they have won their second group game 2-1in 2009 against Nigeria.
All three draws coming in 2019, they began with successive draws against Nigeria and Nigeria and then drew again with Nigeria in the play-off for third before winning on penalties.
SIERRA LEONE FACTS
· Sierra Leone have been the surprise package of this year’s tournament. Unbeaten in their first three matches, they opened with a goalless draw against Zambia before defeating Egypt 4-1 and Tanzania 1-0.
· A win against South Africa would make Sierra Leone the first tournament debutants since Congo in 2007 to win three consecutive matches at the finals.
· They’re also the first debutants since Uganda in 2021 to reach the knockout stages and the first since Ghana in 1991 to record back-to-back group stage victories.
· Samuel Gandi scored the decisive goal against Tanzania, finding the net in the 37th minute.
· Sierra Leone impressed in that match with 415 completed passes, led by Alpha Turay, who made 57 – the most by any player on the pitch.
· Nine players have started all three games, with five – Saidu Bangura, Mamadou Jalloh, Nathaniel Jalloh, Amara Keita, and Alpha Turay – playing every minute of the campaign so far.
SOUTH AFRICA FACTS
· South Africa head into their final group game with renewed confidence after a 1-0 victory over Tanzania.
· They opened their campaign with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Egypt and will now aim to secure consecutive group stage wins for the first time since 2009, when they defeated Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria in back-to-back matches.
· Historically, South Africa have struggled against tournament debutants. They’ve faced three such teams previously – Burkina Faso, Gabon, and Niger – without registering a win. Their most recent encounter with a debutant ended 1-1 against Niger in 2019.
· This match marks South Africa’s 21st different opponent at the U-20 finals and their 18th match against West African opposition.
· Their record against West African teams stands at 3 wins, 5 draws, and 9 losses from 17 matches.
· All three victories came between 1997 and 2009, and they are now winless in their last nine matches against West African sides in regulation time.
· Their last three group games have all ended 1-0 – a win over Burundi in 2019, a loss to Egypt, and the recent win against Tanzania.
· In fact, four of their last five matches at the finals have ended with that scoreline. None of their last six matches has featured both teams scoring – the last time that happened was a 1-1 draw with Niger in 2019.
· In terms of third group stage games, South Africa have won four and lost four across eight appearances.
· Notably, all eight have ended with a winner with none drawn. They’ve won their third group game in each of the last three tournaments they’ve played: defeating Zambia (2015), Sudan (2017), and Burundi (2019).
· Against Tanzania, South Africa managed three shots on target, following four in their loss to Egypt.
· They’ve also been dominant in possession, recording over 60% against Egypt and 56.5% against Tanzania.
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Just like Brazil did to the Nigerian Flying Eagles 38 years in Concepcion, Chile, so has done Rampant Argentina as they humiliated Nigeria 4-0 in the Round of 16 of the ongoing Under 20 World Cup.
Thesix-time champions Argentina did not waste much time as they began scoring just two minutes the match in Santiago. By the time the dust settled, the Flying Eagles had conceded two goals in each half.
The humiliating defeat not only avenged a 2-0 loss to Nigeria two years ago, it eliminated the Flying Eagles from the tournament.
From the very first whistle, it was a nightmare unfolding for Nigeria. Barely two minutes in, Alejo Sarco silenced the West Africans with a crisp opener that shattered their early rhythm. Things went from bad to worse in the 23rd minute, when Maher Carrizo curled in a brilliant free-kick after Nasiru Salihu’s mistimed challenge at the edge of the box — a goal that left Nigeria’s defensive wall and goalkeeper rooted in disbelief.
Nigeria’s brief glimmer of hope came when Salihu appeared to be fouled by Ramirez inside the box, but the referee waved away appeals for a penalty, compounding their frustration.
With the Argentines dominating possession and dictating the pace, Nigeria’s attacks came in desperate flashes.
Oseer Achihi’s darting runs down the left flank occasionally unsettled the South Americans, but his dangerous crosses found no finishing touch.
Even Daniel Daga’s stoppage-time effort, Nigeria’s best chance of the first half, was spectacularly denied by goalkeeper Santino Barbi, keeping the scoreline at 2-0 at halftime.
Whatever hopes Nigeria harboured of a second-half comeback evaporated quickly. Carrizo struck again in the 53rd minute, finishing off a swift Argentine counter-attack that sliced open Nigeria’s backline.
By the time substitute Matheus Silvetti beat the offside trap and curled home Argentina’s fourth in the 66th minute, it was clear the Flying Eagles were facing a total collapse and will be flying home.
Outclassed, outpaced, and outscored, the defeat marked one of Nigeria’s heaviest in recent U20 World Cup history.
The Flying Eagles — two-time runners-up — exit the tournament with a bitter taste, undone by Argentina’s ruthless precision and their own defensive frailties.
For the Albiceleste, it was not just victory — it was vengeance delivered in emphatic style.
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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
SUMMARY
*Nigeria never lost a competitive match on October 8
*Nigeria first international match was on October 8, 1949
*Nigeria first qualified for the World Cup following an October 8 match with Algeria in 1993
Mexico have booked their place in the quarter-finals of the ongoing FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile, following a commanding 4-1 victory over hosts Chile in the early hours of Wednesday.
With the win, the North Americans will now await the outcome of the Round of 16 clash between Nigeria and Argentina, which takes place later tonight at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez PrádanosinSantiago.
Nigeria will be aiming to repeat history against the Albiceleste, having stunned them 2-0 on home soil in their previous meeting two years ago.
But beyond recent records, the Super Eagles’ U20 side will also be drawing inspiration from a remarkable tradition — the ‘Magic of October 8’ — a date that has consistently brought Nigeria good fortune in football.
October 8: A Date Steeped in Nigerian Football History
It was on October 8, 1949, that Nigeria played their first-ever international match, defeating Sierra Leone 2-0 in Freetown. Since then, matches played on this date have often carried a touch of destiny for the nation.
In 1963, the team earned a 2-2 draw away to Liberia, maintaining their unbeaten streak on October 8, shortly after Nigeria had, through protest, overturned a result against Guinea to qualify for their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations.
Perhaps the most iconic result came 26 years after Nigeria’s debut international match, when the Green Eagles thrashed Egypt 4-0 in Lagos on October 8, 1977, during the final stage of the World Cup qualifiers for Argentina ’78.
That defeat remained Egypt’s heaviest in a World Cup qualifier until Ghana’s 6-1 rout in 2013.
The tradition continued in 1993, when Nigeria held Algeria 1-1 in Algiers on October 8 to qualify for their first-ever FIFA World Cup, becoming the first English-speaking African nation to reach the global showpiece.
Even FIFA appeared to acknowledge the date’s mystique — lifting a provisional ban on Nigeria on October 8, 2010.
Nigeria’s Record on October 8
- 1949 – Freetown (Friendly): Sierra Leone 0–2 Nigeria
- 1963 – Monrovia (Friendly): Liberia 2–2 Nigeria
- 1977 – Lagos (World Cup Qualifier): Nigeria 4–0 Egypt
- 1993 – Algiers (World Cup Qualifier): Algeria 1–1 Nigeria (Nigeria qualify for USA ’94)
- 2005 – Abuja (World Cup Qualifier): Nigeria 5–1 Zimbabwe
- 2010 – FIFA provisionally lifts ban on Nigeria
- 2011 – Abuja (AFCON Qualifier): Nigeria 2–2 Guinea (unbeaten but missed 2012 AFCON ticket)
With such an impressive record, Nigerian fans will be hoping the October 8 magic shines once again when their U20 side face Argentina — and possibly sets up a thrilling quarter-final showdown with Mexico.
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Three of Africa’s four representatives — Morocco, Nigeria, and South Africa — have booked their spots in the Round of 16 at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, after a thrilling conclusion to the group phase on Sunday night.
Only Egypt missed out narrowly despite their spirited 2-1 win over hosts Chile in Santiago.
Morocco, the standout African team so far, topped Group C with two impressive victories — against Spain and Brazil — before a narrow defeat to Mexico.
The Atlas Cubs will now face Korea Republic in Rancagua on Thursday, 9 October, with the winner set to meet either Italy or the USA in the quarter-finals.
Nigeria, meanwhile, advanced as one of the best third-placed teams after a battling 1-1 draw with Colombia in Talca.
The Flying Eagles had earlier edged Saudi Arabia 3-2 in a dramatic group clash and will now face Argentina in Santiago — a repeat of their memorable encounters in past youth tournaments.
Coach Aliyu Zubairu praised his side’s resilience:
“It wasn’t easy but we stood our ground and were proactive. We knew they are physically strong and good on the ball so we tried to deny them passing lanes. All we wanted was to qualify for the next round.”
For South Africa, it has been a breakthrough campaign. The Amajita, reigning African U-20 champions, sealed their qualification with a 2-1 win over the USA, their second victory of the tournament after hammering New Caledonia 5-0.
The result sends them into a tough last-16 clash against Colombia on Wednesday, 8 October in Talca.
Coach Raymond Mdaka lauded his side’s progress, saying: “The players have shown great maturity and hunger to compete at this level. We believe we can go further if we remain disciplined and take our chances.”
While Morocco’s tactical discipline, Nigeria’s fighting spirit, and South Africa’s attacking flair have given the continent much to cheer about, Egypt’s exit was a cruel blow.
Despite defeating hosts Chile 2-1 in their final group match, the Young Pharaohs missed out on qualification due to an inferior fair-play record — finishing level on points but with more yellow cards than the South Americans.
The performances of the African teams have reignited optimism about the continent’s growing influence in world youth football, as all three surviving nations now aim to emulate Ghana’s famous 2009 U-20 World Cup triumph.
The knockout round fixtures offer no easy paths, but African hopes remain alive in Chile 2025.
Morocco take on Korea Republic, Nigeria face Argentina, and South Africa meet Colombia — three matches that could further underline Africa’s rising football pedigree on the global stage.
-Cafonline
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