Nigeria reached the Fifa U17 World Cup quarter finals after annihiliating Australia 6-0 in their second round game in Vina Del Mar on Thursday morning.
Complete with the presence of Funsho Bamgboye and Udochukwu Anumudu who missed out of the Golden Eaglets’ last group game owing to cards suspension, the Joeys were torn apart by the ruthless Nigerians at the Estadio Sausalito.
Victor Osimhen bagged a hat trick and is now the outright leading scorer in the competition with seven goals from four games as Emmanuel Amuneke’s lads scored twice in the first half, then added four in the second half to set up a last four encounter against Brazil in Vina Del Mar on Sunday.
Osimhen set the ball rolling with his fifth of the tournament in the 22nd minute by bursting forward with pace and power on the left, before turning his defender and sliding the ball past goalkeeper Duro Dragicevic.
Australia had no answer to Nigeria’s passing and movement as Kelechi Nwakali scored the second from the penalty spot four minutes later after Bamgboye was brought down in the box recklessly by two onrushing defenders.
However, Cameron Joice almost pulled a goal back for the Joeys, but failed to convert on a miserable night for the Australians.
In the second half, the Auusies looked incoherent as they gave the ball away far too easily, while Nigeria were playing with a swagger and got their third through Osimhen in the 73rd minute as he pounced on a cross which Dragicevic had failed to clear.
The lanky 16-year-old striker completed his hat trick six minutes later when he pushed aside the Aussie defender and shot into the roof of the net past the hapless goalkeeper.
Tony Vidmar’s lads were stunned, but far worse was to come as the Eaglets capitalized on more shambolic defending to score two more goals before the end of the game.
First, substitute Essien was on hand to head home from close range before Chukwueze’s missile completed the rout against the side who came into the game with the ambition of breaking their jinx against the defending champions.
Nigeria were a class apart and the Aussie fans sportingly applauded as they became the first team to score six goals in a Fifa U17 World Cup knock out phase as they attempt to win the trophy for the fifth time.
The Golden Eaglets, who have now scored 14 goals, have set up a date with Brazil in the quarter finals on Sunday.
* Courtesy Goal.com
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