Poor judgment by substitute goalkeeper Ajia Yakub today denied the Flying Eagles a place in Sunday’s U20 AFCON final in Cairo.
South Africa will now play the championship game against either Morocco or hosts Egypt thanks to Tylon Smith’s 66th minute winner off Yakub’s error.
It was a back-breaking goal against the run of play as Nigeria had dominated play right from the first half.
Like it was two years ago also in Egypt, the Flying Eagles will now play in the losers’ final.
Nigeria’s high pressing unsettled Amajitas in the first half, but they failed to put away even the half chances they carved out.
Kparobo Arierhi and Tahir Maigana had the best chances to put Nigeria in front in the first period, but failed to do so.
In the second half, the South African goalkeeper pulled off at least two big saves including keeping out a close-range header by Israel Ayuma.
The raft of changes by coach Aliyu Zubairu failed to change the tide of this contest and the Flying Eagles will now have to wait another time for a record-extending eighth U20 AFCON title.
Flying Eagles Starting XI vs South Africa (4-3-3)
Harcourt (Yakub 51)– Okoro, Maigari, Bameyi (captain), Chukwu – Ayuma, Suleyman Alabi 74 Auwal Ibrahim, Divine Oliseh (Precious Benjamin 51) – Tahir Maigana (Rickson 65), Kparobo, Jephta (Amole 65)
