Nigeria’s campaign at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Chile 2025 came to a painful halt as Argentina handed them a humbling 4–0 defeat in the round of 16 in Santiago.
The South Americans were ruthless and clinical, striking twice in each half to book their place in the quarter-finals, while the Flying Eagles struggled to cope with the relentless intensity of Diego Placente’s side.
Alejo Sarco set the tone for a dominant display inside the opening two minutes when he slid home from close range after Dylan Gorosito’s cross left goalkeeper Ebenezar Harcourt stranded.
It was a nightmare start for Aliyu Zubairu’s boys, who appeared unsettled by Argentina’s early pressing and movement.
The Young Albiceleste doubled their advantage midway through the first half through Maher Carrizo, whose curling free-kick from just outside the box nestled into the bottom-right corner, leaving Harcourt with no chance.
The Flying Eagles found themselves chasing shadows for large spells but nearly halved the deficit before the interval when Daniel Daga chested down a loose ball inside the area and volleyed goalwards, only to be denied by a brilliant one-handed save from Santino Barbi.
Argentina resumed the second half in the same dominant fashion, showing greater composure and sharper attacking transitions.
Their pressing forced mistakes from Nigeria’s midfield, and in the 53rd minute, Milton Delgado robbed Daga on halfway before slipping the ball through to Carrizo, who calmly slotted past Harcourt for his second of the night and Argentina’s third.
The Flying Eagles’ defensive frailties were again exposed thirteen minutes later when Mateo Silvetti latched on to a crossfield pass, beat Daniel Bameyi on the right and curled a precise finish beyond Harcourt into the far corner to complete the rout.
Despite several substitutions from Zubairu, including the introductions of Abduljelil Kamaldeen, Auwal Ibrahim, and Charles Agada, Nigeria failed to find rhythm or cutting edge in attack.
Their best chances came late on through Kparobo Arierhi and Haruna Aliyu, but neither could convert from promising positions.
Argentina, on the other hand, managed the closing stages with maturity, keeping possession and dictating the tempo as they cruised into the last eight. Their composure was reflected in the statistics as they registered more shots on target and completed nearly twice as many passes as their Nigerian counterparts.
Nigeria’s frustration was compounded by moments of indiscipline, with Nasiru Salihu and Emmanuel Ekele both booked in the second half. The VAR was briefly consulted for a potential penalty to the Flying Eagles in the first half, but the referee waved away appeals after reviewing the incident.
Zubairu’s side showed flashes of promise, particularly through Daga and Maigana, but the lack of cohesion and defensive lapses proved costly. The defeat also underlines the gulf between Nigeria and the tournament’s elite, just two years after their famous win over the same opponents at the 2023 edition.
Argentina will now face Mexico in the quarter-finals, aiming to extend their remarkable record at this level. For Nigeria, elimination marks another chapter of disappointment in their pursuit of a maiden U-20 world title.
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