Flying Eagles beat Australia in final warm-up match ahead of World Cup

...Groupmates Colombia send warning, defeat Mexico in Pre-World Cup Friendly

By Mishael Emmanuel with additional reports 

 

Nigeria’s male U-20 national team, the Flying Eagles, continued their build-up to the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup with a comfortable victory over Australia in an international friendly match played at the Complejo Deportivo Ruca Mapu in Santiago, Chile.

The encounter was a crucial test for Coach Aliyu Zubairu’s side as they fine-tuned preparations for the global youth championship. Nigeria showed great attacking intent from the onset, and it paid off when forward Tahir Maigana opened the scoring with a well-taken effort that left the Australian goalkeeper helpless. The momentum continued as Achichi Oseer doubled the lead with a composed finish, putting the Flying Eagles in firm control of the tie.

Australia, however, refused to sit back and managed to pull a goal back midway through the game, briefly threatening a comeback. But Nigeria’s dominance was restored when Charles Agada struck late on, sealing a convincing 3-1 win for the West Africans.

This result came just days after the Flying Eagles were held to a 1-1 draw by hosts Chile in their first warm-up fixture. That game had highlighted areas in need of improvement, particularly in defence and finishing, and Zubairu’s boys appeared to respond positively against the Australians with better cohesion and sharper execution in front of goal.

With the morale-boosting victory, the seven-time African champions will now shift full focus to the U-20 World Cup finals, where they have been drawn in a tricky group alongside Norway, Colombia, and Saudi Arabia, making every bit of preparation vital. 

 

Their opening match will be against Norway next week Monday, a clash that is expected to set the tone for their campaign.

 

Meanwhile, Colombia’s U20 national team secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Mexico in an international friendly, continuing their preparations for the FIFA U20 World Cup Chile 2025.

The result not only highlighted Los Cafeteros’ attacking sharpness but also sent a message to their Group F rivals, including Nigeria’s Flying Eagles.

The contest began with Colombia asserting early dominance through quick movement and controlled possession.

Their persistence paid off in the 40th minute when striker J. Rentería finished a sweeping team move to put his side ahead.

Shortly after the restart, Rentería doubled the advantage with another composed finish in the 52nd minute, showcasing his clinical touch in front of goal.

Mexico, however, refused to back down. D. Sánchez pulled one back on the hour mark, breathing life into the encounter and forcing Colombia to regroup defensively.

The South Americans responded with resilience, as R. Benítez restored their two-goal cushion in the 78th minute, capping off a well-worked attack.

The closing stages provided drama as Mexico’s T. Jiménez reduced the deficit to 3-2 in the 83rd minute.

Despite late pressure, Colombia’s defense remained composed, closing out a valuable victory that boosted confidence ahead of the global showpiece in Chile.

For coach Héctor Cárdenas, the performance was particularly encouraging. Rentería’s brace underlined his importance, while the squad’s cohesion and ability to manage pressure situations stood out as critical strengths.

The result also caught the attention of Nigeria’s Flying Eagles, who share Group F with Colombia.

The encounter offered a glimpse of the formidable challenge the South Americans will pose. And the Flying Eagles are also intensifying their own build-up as coach Zubair Aliyu looks to shape a squad capable of making a deep run in Chile.

 

Expectations run high for the Flying Eagles to make a strong impact. Having reached the final twice in past editions, Nigerian fans will be hopeful that this group of talented youngsters can go all the way and bring home the coveted trophy.