Chijioke Gabriel
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles began their campaign at the FIFA U20 World Cup 2025 with a painful 1-0 defeat to Norway on Monday, a result that left fans frustrated despite the team’s dominant display and wasted chances.
The Europeans took the lead as early as the 9th minute from a controversial penalty, but the Flying Eagles refused to give up. Twice in the second half, Nigerian players were denied penalty calls, sparking anger from the bench and supporters who felt the referee was unfair.
Kparobo Arierhi almost restored parity in the 47th minute when his thunderous strike missed by inches with the Norwegian goalkeeper beaten. In the 63rd minute, Tahir Maigana rattled the post, and the rebound failed to fall kindly for Nigeria.
The pressure kept mounting. By the 71st minute, the crowd roared in anticipation when Nasiru Salihu fired from the edge of the box, but his shot narrowly flew over the crossbar. With time running out, Maigana tried again from distance in the 83rd minute, only to see the ball drift wide.
Despite Nigeria’s dominance in possession and shots, Norway defended deep and blocked several attempts to frustrate the West Africans. The Flying Eagles, two-time runners-up at the U20 World Cup, were left to rue missed opportunities and questionable officiating.
With this result, the Flying Eagles now face a must-win clash against Saudi Arabia on Thursday if they are to keep their FIFA U20 World Cup hopes alive. Fans are already calling for sharper finishing and more clinical play in front of goal.