Nigeria U20 secured a 2-1 comeback win over Dominican Rep. to get their World Cup campaign to a bright start in Group D on Sunday.

An own goal from Guillermo De Peno and second-half Samson Lawal’s strike completed Nigeria’s comeback against FIFA U-20 World Cup newcomers Dominican Republic at Mendoza Stadium.

Nigeria 2-1 Dominican Republic

Goals: Azcona pen (23), De Peno OG (31), Lawal (71)

Nigeria came from behind to defeat Dominican Republic in their FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023™ opener at Mendoza Stadium.

The Dominican Republic, playing in their first-ever FIFA match at any level, took the lead after 23 minutes when Benjamin Fredrick was adjudged to have fouled Guillermo De Peno inside the area. Captain Edison Azcona took responsibility from the spot to fire home his nation’s maiden strike.

Nigeria levelled soon after, though, when goalkeeper Xavier Valdez failed to claim a long throw which De Peno inadvertently flicked into his own net. Valdez was left bloodied by the collision, but he recovered quickly to deny the dangerous Jude Sunday soon after with a fine diving save.

The Flying Eagles continued to push in the second half and completed the comeback with 20 minutes to go, as Samson Lawal pounced on a poor Israel Boatwright back-pass to slot beyond Valdez.

Nigeria and the Dominican Republic will return to U-20 World Cup action on Wednesday against Italy and Brazil, respectively.

The stat

5 Nigeria have now scored in five opening-day fixtures in a row at the U-20 World Cup since a 1-0 defeat to Venezuela at Egypt in 2009.

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At a jam-packed Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers, Samadou Sawane headed the decisive winner minutes from time as Senegal scored twice in four minutes.

The West Africa giants come from a goal down to beat Morocco 2-1 to clinch their first-ever TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title in a dramatic finale on Friday.

Skipper Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal had given Morocco a 14th-minute lead, one they kept until the 79th minute when Serigne Falou Diouf scored a VAR-awarded penalty.

Sawane towered the entire defence to head home four minutes later, completing the hard-earned turnaround for the Teranga Cubs.

A clean sweep for Senegal as they have now won a third consecutive continental title within four months, their team of locally based players having won the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) title in February at the same venue of their conquest on Friday, while they also won the U20 AFCON title in Egypt in March.

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Say hello to the 2023 #TotalEnergiesAFCONU17 medalists 👏 pic.twitter.com/UpTDs7UwZL

— #TotalEnergiesAFCONU17 2023 🏆 (@CAF_Online) May 20, 2023

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Morocco’s goalkeeper Taha Benrhozil was brilliant, saving three of eight penalties as they defeated Mali 6-5 to make their first-ever TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final at the Stade Chahid Hamlaoui on Sunday.

As a result, they will face West African giant Senegal in the final of this year’s U17 AFCON at the Stade de Nelson Mandela on Friday.

Morocco and Mali match was forced into penalties after a 0-0 stalemate in regulation time, and Benrhozil showed just why he is one of the top keepers in the tournament with three intelligent saves.

On the other hand, Senegal reached their first U17 final after surviving a penalty shoot-out to down Burkina Faso 5-4 at the 19 May 1956 Stadium in Annaba on Sunday.

The Atlas Cubs coach, Said Chiba, has said they were patient and organised after the victory. 

“We knew that we were going into a difficult game, and we needed to manage it well and ensure Mali, which is a very high-level team, does not find its rhythm and channels to attack. We played compact as to how we had planned,” the coach noted.

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