Nigeria’s Flying Eagles began their FIFA U20 World Cup journey in Chile with a tough 1–0 defeat to Norway at the Estadio Fiscal de Talca. The clash, filled with early drama and VAR involvement, set the tone for what promises to be a competitive group stage campaign for both nations.
FT: Norway 🇳🇴 1-0 🇳🇬 Nigeria
A narrow defeat for our #FlyingEagles on opening day of the #U20WC. pic.twitter.com/GlfVpg17L5
— The NFF 🇳🇬 (@thenff) September 29, 2025The game started at a frenetic pace, with Nigeria showing attacking intent from the first whistle. A near miss in the opening minutes saw their effort crash against the woodwork, raising hopes of an early breakthrough. But moments later, Norway countered, forcing a defensive clearance off the line. VAR then intervened to review a handball inside the Nigerian box, a decision that would shape the rest of the contest.
Captain Daniel Bameyi was penalized for handling the ball, and Norway’s Rasmus Holten calmly slotted home the resulting penalty, sending goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt the wrong way. That goal in the ninth minute turned out to be the difference, despite Nigeria controlling much of the possession afterward. The Flying Eagles pushed forward with purpose but lacked the finishing edge to turn dominance into goals.
The second half brought renewed pressure from Nigeria. Tahir Maigana rattled the woodwork with a powerful strike, underlining their frustration on the night. Twice, VAR reviews for possible penalties late in the match went against them, as the officials judged the Norwegian defenders’ arm positions to be natural. Those decisions left the Nigerian bench and players visibly aggrieved as time ran out.
Despite registering 17 attempts at goal, with only one on target, Nigeria could not find a way past a disciplined Norwegian defense. Aliyu Zubairu’s side now faces the challenge of regrouping quickly, with their next test against Saudi Arabia looming in four days. The Flying Eagles will need sharper finishing and a slice of luck if they are to bounce back and keep their knockout stage hopes alive.
