Triple champions Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets marked their 50th game at a FIFA
U-17 World Cup in supreme style, sweeping aside Mexico 6-1 in their
opening Group F match of the 2013 edition at the Khalifa Bin Zayed
Stadium in Al Ain City, United Arab Emirates, on Saturday.
Kelechi Iheanacho was the hero of the
game as he hit four goals against the defending champions to send
Nigeria top of Group F with a +5 goals difference.
Debutants Sweden defeated Iraq in the other Group F game.
The Mexicans should have grabbed an
early lead but striker Ulises Jaimes saw his goal-bound header cleared
by the desperate Nigerian defence in the third minute.
But after early minutes of apprehension by the Nigerian youngsters, they began to get their rhythm from the half hour mark.
Iheanacho grabbed Eaglets first goal in
the 33rd minute converting with a high shot after Success Isaac rounded
the goalkeeper, before passing the ball back across goal.
Isaac turned provider again seven
minutes later, when his left-wing cross found Iheanacho, who kept his
cool to cut inside, dribbled past two defenders before firing home from
close range.
But the Mexicans reduced the margin four
minutes from the break, when Jaimes grabbed their only game four
minutes before the break.
But Iheanacho grabbed his hat-trick in
the 49th minute, hitting home a low drive at the near post after a
flick-on from a throw-in. And Nigerian fans inside the stadium reacted
to the number 10’s third strike with chants of “Call him up, call him
up,” a message apparently directed to Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi.
Chidiebere Nwakali made it 4-1 three
minutes later while Isaac made it 5-1 on the hour mark after finding a
way past two Mexican defenders before scoring from 12 yards out.
Iheanacho completed the rout in the 70th
minute, cutting in from the right side to hit a long range effort to
make score 6-1 and move top of the tournament’s goal scorers chart.
The Eaglets, champions of the competition in 1985, 1993 and 2007, will face Sweden in their next match on Tuesday in Al Ain.
