goal.com
Nigeria
U20 team will be making their 11th appearance at the world youth
football showpiece and Goal chronicles the key numbers that have marked
their participation.
Coach Manu Garba’s side go to New Zealand with the ambition of ending
the jinx of not lifting the Fifa U20 World Cup. Plausible as this
optimism may sound, Goal gives an account of the Flying Eagles’ outing in this competition’s history in numbers.
0- The number of titles won by Nigeria at this championship.
1- The number of times Nigeria hosted the Fifa U20
World Cup. This was achieved in 1999 as the Flying Eagles finished
eighth after they were bundled out of the quarter final by Mali at the
Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu. They became the second African country to
host this tourney after Tunisia staged it in 1977.
3- Brazil, Portugal and Soviet Union are the
countries to have faced Nigeria at this level of competition on the most
occasions. The Flying Eagles met Brazil in 1983 (lost 0-3), 1987 (lost
0-4) and in 2005 (drew 0-0). For the Portuguese, the Flying Eagles
played them first in the group stage of the 1989 edition as Paulo
Alves’s strike in the 88th minute caged them at the Fahd International
Stadium, Riyadh. They met again in the final and the Europeans triumphed
2-0 with Abel Silva and Jorge Couto getting on the scorers’ sheet.
Their third meeting ended in a 3-2 defeat of Nigeria at the 2013 edition
in Turkey. Soviet Union have also met Nigeria thrice; 1983 (Nigeria won
1-0), 1985 (lost 2-1) and the last time known as the ‘Miracle of Daman’
where the Flying Eagles came from four goals down to beat the Europeans
5-3 on penalties.
3- Least
number of goals conceded by Nigeria in a tournament, this feat was
achieved at the Mexico 1983 edition. Unfortunately, Christopher
Udemezue’s team did not make this impressive record count as they failed to get past the group stage which had eventual winners, Brazil.
3- This
number also marks the most goals scored by a Nigerian in a single
tournament. This honour is shared by Odiaka Monday (1985), Mutiu Adepoju
& Christopher Ohenhen (1989), Chinedu Obasi (2005), Edafe Egbedi,
Olarenwaju Kayode & Ahmed Musa (2011) and Abdul Jeleel Ajagun
(2013).
Mikel against Argentina in the final of Netherlands 2005
5- This
represents the most goals scored in a single match by Nigeria at the
mundial. In Egypt 2009, the Flying Eagles spanked Tahiti 5-0 in the
group stage. While at Colombia 2011, Guatemala lost 5-0 and Croatia 5-2
to Nigeria.
9- The number of times Nigeria have failed to qualify
for the tournament. Their first black-out was at the edition staged in
Tunisia in 1977 followed by their absence in Japan 1979 before missing
out of Australia (1981), Portugal (1991), Australia (1993), Qatar
(1995), Malaysia (1997), Argentina (2001) and United Arab Emirates
(2003) respectively.
14- The
number of seconds it took Monday Odiaka to score the fastest goal in
Fifa U20 World Cup history against Canada in 1985. His compatriot John
Owoeri netted the second-quickest, four seconds shy of the record,
against the Netherlands in 2005.
Peter Ogaba is the
youngest-ever Nigerian to have represented the country in this
competition at 14 years and five months which was achieved at the Saudi
Arabia-hosted tournament in 1989.
Owoeri: Scorer of the second fastest goal in U20 World Cup history
15- Most goals scored in a tournament. This was
achieved at the Colombia 2011 championship where John Obuh’s side ran
riot against all opposing teams but were shown the exit door in the
quarter final after bowing 3-2 to France after extra time. Whereas at
Mexico 1983, Nigeria recorded their least number of goals with one goal
in three games. It came off the boot of Tarila Okoronwata in Nigeria’s
1-0 defeat of the Soviet Union.
Ahmed Musa scored three goals for Nigeria at Colombia 2011
20- The number of games Nigeria have won in 10 Fifa
U20 World Cup tournaments, a record among African teams. On the other
hand, they have lost 18 matches while they have secured a draw 11 times.
39 - The number of games Nigeria have played at Fifa
U20 World Cups, making them the highest playing African side in the
history of the competition.
70- The total number of goals Nigeria have scored in
all Fifa World U20 championships they have participated in. Little
wonder they are one of the highest scoring sides in the history of the
competition. Also, they have conceded 61 goals in the same number of
outings.
77,000- This is the record number of spectators to
watch a Flying Eagles game in the World Cup. This was set on March 3,
1989 in Nigeria’s 2-0 defeat to Portugal in the final. The Europeans won
by goals scored by Abel Silva and Jorge Couto.
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