U17 AFCON South Africa 2 Nigeria 3 : Agada, Eke, Abdullahi goals send Eaglets to last 8

Nigeria's U-17 national team, Golden Eaglets on Saturday evening defeated South Africa 3-2 in their last Group B game to advance to the knockout stage of the CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations in Algeria. 

Golden Eaglets coach Nduka Ugbade made two changes to the team that lost to Morocco with the duo of Light Eke and Charles Agada in the starting lineup at the expense of Precious Williams and Favour Daniel. 

The Eaglets began like a house on fire and showed their intent with a long range shot by Hope Linus in the first and third minutes of action. 

Central defender Tochukwu Ogboji cleared the ball bravely to hand the South Africans a corner kick. 

The ball initially hit the bottom of the post from the set piece but Vicky Mkwawana hit a rebound with a fierce low shot for the first goal  of the match in the sixth minute. 

Moments later, Charles Agada missed a gilt-edged chance for Nigeria as his shot after a promising buildup went agonizingly out of play. He saw a goal from a blistering counter attack ruled out for offside with 10 minutes played. 

In the 24th minute, Light Eke went for a shot from 25 yards but there was no real power behind the effort and the ball was easily gathered by the South African keeper. 

Abubakar Abdullahi's shot finished a passage of promising play by the Nigerian side 12 minutes before the break. 

However, the resourceful Agada equalized in the 34th minute as he powered his header home form a corner as the Eaglets' fightback pays off. 

Abdullahi almost handed Nigeria the lead with a half volley in added time of first half but Johnson in goal for South deflected off the ball for a corner kick. 

Siyabonga Mabena scored a cracking goal for South Africa deep into the first half as he went past three defenders to unleash a shot that saw the ball bounce back into play after initially going underneath the bar. 

Nigeria restored parity within 30 seconds into the second half as Light Eke swept home the ball after a cross by Charles Agada. 

Abubakar Abdullahi's industry in the intense game paid off 64 minutes into the contest as he rounded off a blistering counter through the middle. 

Light Eke's shot came off the woodwork with about 20 minutes left on the clock as the Eaglets gun for a reassuring fourth goal but it finished that way as the Nigerian side ended the group campaign as the second placed team behind Morocco that were beaten 2-1 by Zambia. 

Izuchukwu Michael
    

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