Nigeria 0 Senegal 0 (3-1 after pens): Five takeaways from Flying Eagles' shootout win v Cubs

Nigeria advanced to the semifinals of the AFCON U20 tournament after defeating Senegal in a tense quarterfinal clash on Monday.

Following a goalless draw in regulation time, the Flying Eagles triumphed 3-1 in the penalty shootout.

The win also sealed Nigeria’s qualification for the 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile. 

Allnigeriasoccer.com presents five observations from the match.

Disrupted Flow in the First Half

Nigeria and Senegal locked horns with a 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup ticket to Chile on the line. With such high stakes, both teams approached the game with great intensity and physicality, leading to numerous tackles, particularly in the opening half.

The frequent fouls forced the referee to blow for several infringements, resulting in a fragmented first half with repeated stoppages.

Nigeria Struggles with Finishing

Despite dominating possession in the first half of their quarterfinal clash against Senegal, the Flying Eagles failed to capitalize on their chances.

They consistently tested Senegalese goalkeeper Sissokho, who was forced into several key saves.

In the second half, Nigeria continued to create openings, but poor decision-making in the final third, including a missed opportunity by Divine Oliseh, cost them dearly.

Oliseh Suffers Possible Concussion

Late in the game, Divine Oliseh was involved in a heavy collision with Senegal’s Khalifa Babacar Diouf, raising concerns of a potential concussion.

Both players were withdrawn following the incident—Oliseh replaced by Precious Benjamin and Diouf by Serigne Fallou Diouf.

Should medical assessments confirm concussions, both players may be sidelined for the remainder of the tournament.

Senegal Deploys High Defensive Line

Senegal adopted a high defensive line throughout the encounter, pushing their backline close to the midfield and leaving significant space behind.

Although this approach added pressure on Nigeria, the Flying Eagles managed to exploit the gaps on a few occasions, creating notable chances before the end of regular time.

Harcourt Shines in Penalty Shootout

Flying Eagles goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt played a decisive role in Nigeria’s shootout victory, displaying remarkable composure and shot-stopping ability.

Harcourt saved two penalties, proving instrumental in securing Nigeria’s place in the semifinals.

Adeyemi Adewale

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