The Nigeria U20 team secured a spot in the final of the football event of the ongoing Africa Games in Morocco with a 5-4 penalty kick win over Mali in the semi-final, Owngoalnigeria.com reports.
Both teams were tied at 0-0 after regulation time with Nigeria missing a first half penalty when team captain Ibrahim Abubakar fail to convert from the spot following a foul on Success Makanjuola.
With no goals after regulation time, the game was stretched into extra time yet but team stayed level with the Nigerians guilty of several missed chances while Mali rarely threatened.
Penalty kicks witnessed an entire drama at the start as both team missed their first three spot kicks with Nigerian shot stopper Daetan stopping all three he faced before the players converted the remaining two to take the game to sudden death.
The streak of converting spot kicks continued in sudden death before Daten once again proved himself to be the hero for the Nigerian team with another save to send Nigeria through to the final for the first time in 41 years.
