The Flying Eagles of Nigeria have been eliminated from the ongoing FIFA U-20 World Cup.
The Nigerian team crashed out of the competition following a 1-0 defeat to South Korea in the quarter-final encounter on Sunday.
The thrilling encounter took place at the Estadio Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades in Santigo del Estero, Argentina.
Seok-Hyun Choi’s header in extra time was the sole difference in a game that was cagey and on the knife edge all through.
Ladan Bosso kept the same line-up that began the shocking 2-0 victory over the hosts Argentina in the second round.
However, there was a little spark from the explosive performance they displayed in the previous game.
The Flying Eagles enjoyed complete control of the ball in the first half-an-hour of the game, but sparse chances were created from the spell.
Nigeria’s captain Daniel Bameyi had a crack from outside the box, but Joon-Hong Kim, the Korean goalkeeper, easily stopped it.
Victor Eletu also carved another dangerous opportunity for Nigeria’s opener, but after slaloming through a host of Korean bodies, his left-footed was palmed away by a full-stretched Joon-Hong.
Bameyi had another long-range strike thwarted after the half-time break, but both teams struggled to get their final third decisions appropriate.
The game tapered into extra time, with the scoreline goalless.
However, five minutes into the extra period, Korea broke the deadlock. A corner was swung in from the right, Seok-Hyun found himself unmarked, and his guarded header sailed beyond a stunned Kingsley Aniagboso, the Nigerian goalkeeper.
Despite a late rally, the Flying Eagles could not respond as Korea progressed to the semi-final to face Italy on Thursday.
