Nigeria V Sweden 3 - 0 Go Nigeria!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Up Naija) The Nigeria Under-17 football team, the Golden Eaglets, produced a masterclass of attacking football in Dubai to beat a well-drilled Sweden side 3-0. (Am loving mi Nigerian players, though am not a football lover, keep making Nigeria proud; good job Guys! My Opinion!)

Sweden had the first chance in the first minute of the game when Elias Andersson burst through the right with great pace but his deflected cross was hooked wide by Valmir Berisha to send the Nigerian nerves jangling early on.

Berisha had scored twice against Nigeria in the group stages.

Three minutes later, Nigeria had a chance to respond after some lax Swedish defending freed Musa Yahaya in the penalty area but the youngster hesitated a split second too late and the chance was gone. Seconds later, Taiwo Awoniyi had a chance to make amends but his shot lacked power.

The Nigerians were struggling to get into their stride as the well-organized Europeans marked well and denied the Africans of space for their highly skilful individuals to play their usual expansive game.

As a result, the Golden Eaglets were restricted to long range shooting and one of such from Yahaya in the 11th minute merely warmed the palms of the Sweden goalkeeper, Sixten Mohlin.

It was quite cagey in the opening minutes as the Swedes looked to catch Nigeria on the break and almost managed to do so in the 14th minute when an unmarked Linus Wahlqvist placed a header wide off a pinpoint cross with just the Nigerian goalkeeper, Dele Alampasu at his mercy.

Nigeria eventually got the breakthrough on 21 minutes when Taiwo Awoniyi latched on to a perfect through ball from Kelechi Iheanacho and showed nerves of steel to finish past Mohlin.

The West Africans smelt blood and pressed for a second. Three minutes later, Abdullahi Alfa’s strike from range was saved comfortably by Mohlin. The young Swedes were looking remarkably shell-shocked, out of their depth and had yet to muster a single effort on the Nigerian goal at this stage.

On the half hour, Nigeria failed to double their advantage when they probably should have done so. Captain, Musa Mohammed embarked upon a characteristic lung-bursting run on the right before delivering an inch perfect cross that was headed wide by the unmarked Chidera Ezeh.

Ezeh had another chance to get his name on the score sheet in the 35th minute but blasted an effort from the edge of the Sweden box high and wide.

The Swedes were almost back on level terms a minute later as Gustav Engvall carved out a chance out of nothing following a quick throw in by Johan Ramhorn. Engvall’s snapshot from a very tight angle was however beaten out by Alampasu as Nigerian hearts beat again.