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After the hiccup of losing to Cameroun on Thursday, Nigeria’s
U-20 team, the Flying Eagles, beat Gambia’s Young Scorpions 2-0 on Sunday, to
earn a semifinal berth and also a ticket to the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup in
Colombia in July.

The first half of the match which was played at Milpark Stadium
was nothing to write home about, though the Flying Eagles looked the more
ambitious but their final pass let them down on many occasions. The Gambian
team led by their captain, Gassama Saikou tried to get the goal that would have
guaranteed them a place in Colombia but the defensive duo of Ogungbe Ganiu and
Arokoyo Gbenga stood the onslaught helped in part by the stand-in-captain,
Ramon Azeez.

The first half ended with the Nigerian team in the ascendancy as
news filtered in that the Ghanaian Black Satellites were in the lead over the
Cameroun team and at that point, Ghana and Cameroun were the teams qualifying
from the group. If the Flying Eagles had played a goalless draw, then the
defending world champions would have salvaged their pride but that was not to
be as the Nigerians scored the goals that were needed in the second half
through Stanley Okoro in the 65th minute and the clincher by Azeez 12 minutes
later.

Little Messi’s entrance

Okoro, who plays for Almeria in Spain and is dubbed ‘little
Messi’ had come on for Kayode Olanrewaju in the 62nd minute and immediately was
into the fray with some smart dribbling. Three minutes after his introduction,
Abdul Ajagun exchanged passes on the edge of the Gambian box with Azeez and the
return pass released Okoro, who slotted a first-time right foot shot past the
Gambian keeper, Camara Musa.

The Gambians tried to pressurise the Nigerian team down the
flanks but Terna Suswan and Blessing Anyanwu, who played at the left and
right-back positions defended their positions very well.

The second goal duly arrived 12 minutes later with another move
on the edge of the box by Uche Nwofor and Terna Suswan. Two-goal hero against
Ghana, Nwofor was then brought down by Savage Baboucarr for a free kick.

The free kick was teed up by Suswan and was blasted in by Azeez
and that was the ticket to Colombia delivered and sealed.

The Flying Eagles however have to settle for second position in
Group B as Ghana and Cameroun drew 1-1 and the Camerounians finished top of the
group with seven points to Nigeria’s six.

In Group A, Mali confirmed their first place by playing a 1-1
draw with Lesotho. They had earlier defeated South Africa and Egypt, 4-2 and
1-0 respectively. Egypt came in second when they defeated hosts, South Africa
1-0.

The semi-final matches will be played at Dobsonville on Thursday with
Nigeria facing Mali while Egypt will face Cameroun while the final will come up
on Sunday.