Nigeria reached the quarter finals of the ongoing CAF U20 Championship in Egypt despite having to force Kenya’s Rising Stars to a 2-2 draw in the last match of group B on Wednesday.
Consequently, the Flying Eagles finished second on the table with five points, two behind group leaders Morocco, who drilled Tunisia 3-1 in the other match of the group and will remain in Cairo for the quarter finals, against the second-placed team in group A. Group A is made up of hosts Egypt, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Zambia, and Tanzania.
Seven-time champions Nigeria will now have to make the trip to Ismailia for their quarter-final game on Monday, against the second-placed team in group C. Group C is made up of title-holders Senegal, bitter rivals Ghana, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Kenya’s Rising Stars made the game difficult for the Flying Eagles, as the wards of Aliyu Zubairu had to come from behind twice to salvage the encounter.
Kevin Wangaya put the Rising Stars ahead after only five minutes, scoring from the penalty spot after a Nigerian defender stopped the ball with his hand in the box.
Nigeria restored parity seven minutes later, after Kparobo Arierhi waltzed his way through the defence to place the ball firmly beyond the reach of the opposition goalkeeper.
The East Africans were back in front in the 68th minute, as the Flying Eagles’ rearguard ball-watched a freekick from the left and allowed William to blast the ball past goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt from Lawrence’s in-swinger.
The Flying Eagles’ match for Monday will be the first quarter-final, starting at 3 pm Egypt time (1 pm Nigeria time) in Ismailia.
