Nigeria 3-2 Ecuador: Said’s Hat-trick Sends Eaglets Into knock out stage

Ibrahim Said scored a hat-trick as the Golden Eaglets defeated Ecuador 3-2 tonight in their second Group B match of the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup to book a place in the round of 16.  The Nigeria side are the first to qualify for the knockout stage.

Nigeria went ahead in the 5th minute through Ibrahim Sai’d who gifted the ball after Olalekan Olusegun put Ecuador’s goalkeeper Joan Lopez under pressure which forced him to a sloppy clearance that saw the ball fall kindly to the feet of the scorer.
The South Americans got their equaliser when Adrian Mejia’s shot which hit the foot of the post deflected off the back of Daniel Jinadu in Nigeria’s goal in the 10th minute.
Top scorer for Nigeria at the U-17 African Nations Cup Wisdom Ubani who proved to be ineffective was replaced in the 30th minute by Akinkunmi Amoo.
Ecuador’s endeavour then paid off in the 56th minute when Charles Etim was deemed by Qatar referee Khamis All Marri to have fouled John Mercano. The resultant penalty was converted by Johan Mina.
But it was Said who grabbed the much sought after the second goal with a curling shot that nestled at the top right corner five minutes to full time.

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Said rifled home his third goal of the night with a minute to play after an exchange of wonderful passes.