Nigeria’s journey at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile came to a disappointing end on Wednesday night, as Argentina handed the Flying Eagles a heavy 4–0 defeat in their round of 16 clash in Santiago.
The South Americans delivered a dominant performance, scoring twice in each half to seal a convincing victory and book their place in the quarter-finals. In contrast, Nigeria struggled to cope with Argentina’s relentless pressing and sharp attacking transitions throughout the game.
Alejo Sarco opened the scoring just two minutes into the match, slotting home from close range after Dylan Gorosito’s low cross eluded goalkeeper Ebenezar Harcourt. The early goal unsettled the Flying Eagles, who were pinned back by Argentina’s intensity.
Midway through the first half, Maher Carrizo doubled Argentina’s advantage with a beautifully struck free-kick that curled into the bottom corner, leaving Harcourt helpless.
Nigeria’s best chance of the half came when Daniel Daga controlled a loose ball and fired a volley on target, but Argentine goalkeeper Santino Barbi produced a superb one-handed save to deny him.
Argentina resumed the second half in complete control and extended their lead in the 53rd minute when Milton Delgado dispossessed Daga in midfield and released Carrizo, who coolly finished past Harcourt for his second goal of the night.
The South Americans put the result beyond doubt 13 minutes later, as Mateo Silvetti collected a long pass, beat Daniel Bameyi on the flank, and curled in a precise effort to make it 4–0.
Despite coach Aliyu Zubairu introducing fresh legs — including Abduljelil Kamaldeen, Auwal Ibrahim, and Charles Agada — Nigeria failed to create clear chances. Late efforts from Kparobo Arierhi and Haruna Aliyu went off target, while Argentina comfortably saw out the match with calm possession and controlled tempo.
The Flying Eagles’ defensive lapses and loss of midfield control proved decisive, and moments of frustration crept in, with Nasiru Salihu and Emmanuel Ekele both booked in the second half. VAR briefly reviewed a potential penalty for Nigeria in the first half but ruled no foul.
Argentina’s superior technical quality and tactical discipline were reflected in the match stats — more shots on target, higher pass completion, and total dominance in possession.
While Nigeria showed flashes of promise through players like Daga and Tahir Maigana, they were ultimately outclassed by an Argentine side that looked every inch a title contender.
The result ends Nigeria’s hopes of a maiden U-20 world title and highlights the growing gap between them and the world’s elite at this level — just two years after their memorable 2–0 win over Argentina at the 2023 edition.
Argentina will now face Mexico in the quarter-finals, as the Flying Eagles head home to reflect on a campaign that promised much but fell short of expectations.
