South Africa 1 Nigeria 0: Yakub the scapegoat and four other observations from Flying Eagles' loss to Amajita

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have been eliminated from the CAF U20 tournament following a 1-0 loss to South Africa in Thursday’s semifinal clash.

After a goalless first half, South Africa netted the decisive goal in the second period to book their place in the final.

Despite the defeat, Nigeria had already secured qualification for the 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile after their quarterfinal win over Senegal. The Flying Eagles will now turn their attention to the third-place match.

Allnigeriasoccer.com presents five observations from the game

Divine Oliseh returns to starting XI despite injury scare

Flying Eagles midfielder Divine Oliseh was named in the starting lineup for Nigeria despite concerns over his fitness following an injury sustained in the previous match against Senegal.

His availability for the semifinal clash had been in doubt, but after being cleared late on, Oliseh started in midfield for the Flying Eagles.

Too many fouls

With a place in the final on the line, the semifinal clash between Nigeria and South Africa turned into a highly physical and aggressive encounter.

Both sides showed clear intent and determination, resulting in a flurry of fouls throughout the match.

Nigeria committed 25 fouls, while South Africa were whistled for 12, bringing the total to a staggering 37 fouls.

Soliu Yakub error costs Flying Eagles

Flying Eagles goalkeeper Soliu Yakub was at fault for the only goal of the game in Nigeria’s semifinal defeat to South Africa.

Yakub came on as a second-half substitute, replacing Ebenezer Harcourt after the Sporting Lagos shot-stopper picked up an injury.

Making his first appearance of the tournament, Yakub misjudged a cross and rushed off his line, only to be beaten to the ball by Tylon Christopher Smith, who capitalized on the error to score the decisive goal.

South Africa show strong defensive performance

South Africa delivered a resilient defensive display to book their place in the final of the tournament.

Although Nigeria dominated possession for large stretches of the match, they struggled to create clear-cut chances.

The South African backline stood firm, effectively neutralizing every attacking move from the Flying Eagles and securing a well-earned clean sheet.

Flying Eagles struggle with wasteful finishing

Nigeria dominated much of the match but were ultimately let down by poor decision-making in the final third.

While the Flying Eagles showed composure and control in other areas of the pitch, their attacking efforts lacked precision.

Despite registering 21 shots, only five were on target, highlighting their inefficiency in front of goal. 

In contrast, South Africa managed just six attempts, with two on target, yet made the most of their limited opportunities.

Adeyemi Adewale

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