Argentina Humiliates Flying Eagles 4–0, Sends Nigeria Packing In Chile

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles were on Wednesday sent packing from the ongoing FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile after suffering a humiliating 4–0 defeat to Argentina in their Round of 16 encounter at the Estadio Nacional.

The South Americans, six-time world champions and tournament favourites, were simply unstoppable as they tore apart a disorganized Nigerian side that looked lost for most of the game.

Argentina made their intentions clear early on, finding the back of the net in just the 2nd minute through Alejo Sarco, who finished off a fine assist from Dylan Gorosito. The relentless pressure continued, and Maher Carrizo doubled the lead in the 23rd minute with a clinical finish that silenced the Nigerian supporters in the stands.

The Flying Eagles, who had shown flashes of promise in the group stage, failed to find rhythm or composure. Defensive lapses and poor midfield coordination allowed the Argentines to dominate every area of the pitch.

Carrizo completed his brace in the 53rd minute, combining brilliantly with Milton Delgado, before substitute Mateo Silvetti sealed Nigeria’s misery in the 66th minute, slotting home from Gianluca Prestianni’s clever assist.

With the defeat, Nigeria’s campaign at the tournament comes to a disappointing end. The Flying Eagles had earlier drawn 1–1 with Colombia, defeated Saudi Arabia 3–2, and lost to Norway, sneaking into the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams.

Argentina, who have won the U-20 World Cup a record six times, maintained their perfect run at the tournament and are on course for what could be a seventh global triumph.

Back home, fans expressed outrage and disappointment at the team’s lacklustre performance, with many calling for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s youth football system.

> “This team lacked hunger and tactical discipline,” lamented a former player who spoke to Daily Trust after the match. “We need to go back to the basics if we want to compete with the best again.”

The latest defeat adds to Nigeria’s growing list of underwhelming performances at youth level, raising fresh questions about the future of the nation’s football development pipeline.