The U20 team of Nigeria won’t be playing in the final of the ongoing U20 AFCON in Egypt after losing 0-1 to South Africa in the semi final game , no thanks to a huge error by substitute goalkeeper Ajia Soliu.
Led by coach Aliyu Zubairu the Nigerian team dominated the game with a high pressing style of play which forced South Africa into making errors when trying to play from the back.
However they failed to make that dominance count with wasteful finishing leaving scores tied at 0-0 at the half time break. They still didn’t make it count in the second half before what ended up as the game decider happened.
15 year old shot stopper Ifeanyi Harcourt who have been one of the stars of the team went off injured and was replaced by Ajia Soliu Yakubu, who was caught in no man’s land from an aimless cross into the box.
He came out flying from his line to claim a cross but was no where near it making the header from Tylon Christopher Smith nestled in the back of the net unchallenged. The goal ended as the decider with Nigeria denied several attempts to draw level.
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman
