Mexico's Diego Cortes (white jersey) and Samuel Chukwueze of Nigeria battle for the ball during their FIFA U-17 World Cup semifinal on November 5, 2015, in Concepcion, Chile. (Photo: FIFA via Getty Images)
CONCEPCION, Chile – Defending champion Nigeria advanced to its second straight FIFA U-17 World Cup final with a 4-2 win over Mexico on Thursday at the Estadio Municipal Ester Roa.
In a rematch of the 2013 decider, the Golden Eaglets broke a 2-2 tie on goals by Osinachi Ebere and Victor Osimhen to set-up a winner-take-all meeting Sunday with fellow African side Mali, which beat Belgium, 3-1.
Mexico started the semifinal encounter brightly, going ahead 1-0 lead in the seventh minute. Kevin Lara delivered a right-sided cross into the box that ricocheted Eduardo Aguirre’s chest and fell fortuitously to Kevin Magaña, who applied a touch before placing the ball inside the left post from eight-yards out.
The Nigerians, though, took a 2-1 lead into the break thanks to a pair of stunning strikes.
In the 35th minute, Kelechi Nwakali’s right-footed free kick from 27 yards found the lower-left corner of the net.
Eight minutes later, Orji Okwonkwo was even more impressive. The 17-year-old forward dribbled from the left towards the middle, before drilling a right-footed rocket into the upper-left corner from 30-yards out.
Diego Cortes revived the CONCACAF champion’s bid for a third straight trip to the final with a brilliant 59th-minute equalizer. Thirty-yards from goal, the Guadalajara midfielder received a pass on the right wing and dribbled adroitly through five Nigerian defenders. With astonishing composure, he beat goalkeeper Akpan Udoh from seven yards.
The Nigerian response was swift as Osinachi Ebere restored the lead in the 67th minute, running onto Nwakali’s perfectly threaded through ball and hitting a low, right-footed shot from 10 yards off the hands of diving goalkeeper Abraham Romero.
Converting from the penalty spot, Victor Osimhen netted an insurance tally with seven minutes left in normal time to make it 4-1 and give Nigeria breathing room. It was his ninth goal in six games, equaling the record for most goals scored by a player in a single U-20 World Cup.
