Nigeria’s Future Eagles delivered a commanding performance at the ongoing FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival in Azerbaijan, thrashing New Caledonia 7-0 to advance to the Round of 16 in the Tier C knockout competition.
Captain Timothy Ijachi stole the spotlight with a brilliant hat-trick, while Abdulrazak Muhammad scored twice to help the Nigerian youngsters record their biggest victory of the tournament so far.
Wisdom Oche and Mayowa Salu also found the net as Nigeria dominated the encounter at the Hovsan Competition Complex in Baku on Wednesday.
Ijachi Leads Nigeria’s Goal Fest
The Future Eagles needed just one minute to take the lead, with Oche opening the scoring to give Nigeria an early advantage.
Ijachi then took charge, scoring in the 12th and 16th minutes to extend Nigeria’s lead to 3-0 and put New Caledonia under enormous pressure.
Muhammad added the fourth goal in the 21st minute before Ijachi completed his hat-trick in the 35th minute.
Muhammad struck again four minutes later to make it 6-0, while Salu rounded off the emphatic victory with Nigeria’s seventh goal in the 40th minute.
The Nigerian side’s attacking display left their opponents struggling to contain the pressure throughout the contest.
Future Eagles Extend Unbeaten Run
The victory extended Nigeria’s unbeaten run in the competition to six matches, offering further encouragement as the team continues its campaign.
The Future Eagles had recorded several draws during the group stage before securing their first victory against Cyprus. Their latest performance demonstrated a sharper attacking edge as they progressed into the knockout phase.
Nigeria will now face the Republic of Benin in the Tier C Round of 16 as they seek to maintain their momentum and advance further in the tournament.
With Ijachi leading the attack and his teammates contributing to the goals, the young Nigerians will hope to build on the emphatic win in their next encounter.
