U20 AFCON Nigeria 0 South Africa 0 (3-5 On Penalties) : Penalty Woes Continue For Flying Eagles As Ibrahim Alhassan Misses

Nigeria were yet undone in a penalty shootout for the second successive game of the 2019 CAF U-20 AFCON in Niger, this time 5-3 by South Africa after a goalless affair at the Stade General Seyni Kountchey stadium on Saturday evening.

The two sides who lost out to Mali and Senegal respectively in the semifinals were looking to salvage some pride with a bronze medal finish but it was the Flying Eagles who brilliantly took the game to their opponents in the opening stages.

Paul Aigbogun afforded some of his fringe players who have tested little or no action in the course of the tournament some game time, with Detan Ogundare replacing Orewale Oredale in goal while the likes of Peter Eletu, Solomon Ogberahwe and Paschal Onyekachi all started from the off.

Nigeria went close eleven minutes into the game when the effervescent Jamil Muhammad fired a decent effort wide of target.

The duo of Onyekachi and Maxwell Effiom equally had efforts to score in the dour first period while Amajita winger, Kobamelo Kodisang equally saw a decent chance go begging.

Yahaya Nazifi came off the bench in the second period and nearly beat South African goalkeeper, Kuhbeka with a good shot which agonizingly missed to the left of goal as Nigeria searched for the break through.

After a deadlocked encounter, it boiled down to penalties where Ibrahim Alhassan's miss proved costly as Nigeria settled for fourth place in the tournament.

Starting XI: Ogundare, Ogberahwe, Ozornwafor, Ogbu, Zaruma, Muhammad, Effiom, Eletu, Alhassan, Ibrahim, Onyekachi.