Ex-Golden Eaglets midfielder recalls 8-1 mauling by Young Lions squad featuring Lookman, Solanke

Former Golden Eaglets midfielder Bruno Onyemaechi has opened up about a humbling experience from his early career, recalling how Nigeria's U17 team was thrashed 8-1 by an England U20 side featuring future stars Ademola Lookman and Dominic Solanke.

Before switching allegiance from England to Nigeria, Lookman played for the Young Lions at U19, U20 and U21 levels and was a key member of the squad that won the 2017 Fifa U20 World Cup.

Five players of Nigerian descent – Ovie Ejaria, Josh Onomah, Fikayo Tomori, Ademola Lookman and Dominic Solanke – were named in England's U20 squad for the Suwon Continental Cup in South Korea in November 2016.

The Young Lions thrashed the Golden Eaglets 8-1 in their opening game of the competition.

Solanke featured for 75 minutes and scored England's third goal in the 25th minute, while Tomori and Lookman were introduced as second-half substitutes in the 75th and 82nd minutes respectively.

Onyemaechi revealed that the Golden Eaglets' opening match against England was a brutal wake-up call.

"The players that failed the MRI went to the competition in South Korea. There were three other teams South Korea, England and Iran," Bruno Onyemaechi told Football Fans Tribe.

"Our first match England lashed us 8-1. The England players that thrashed us 8-1, Ademola Lookman was there, Dominic Solanke who is now at Tottenham."

Onyeamachi recalled that Nigeria's struggles continued with a 3-1 defeat to South Korea and a narrow 1-0 loss to Iran, where he missed a crucial penalty shortly after coming on in the second half.

"We lost 3-1 to South Korea in the second match. Iran defeated us 1-0 and I missed a penalty. I just entered the game, five minutes to go we got the penalty."

After unsuccessful trials at Lillestrom, CSKA Moscow, and R.S.C. Anderlecht during his teenage years, Bruno Onyemaechi has risen through the ranks to become a reliable defender, now plying his trade with Greek giants Olympiakos.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit: englandfootball.com

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