U20WC: Nigeria to tackle South Korea on Sunday for semi-final ticket

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles will face South Korea’s Taegeuk Warriors for a place in the semi-finals at the ongoing FIFA U-20 World Cup on Sunday, at the Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades, Santiago del Estero.

South Korea defeated Group B runners-up Ecuador 3-2 in a five-goal thriller while Nigeria got the better of host and record Champions Argentina 2-0 on Wednesday courtesy of Ibrahim Beji Muhammad and Haliru Sarki’s goals.

https://twitter.com/FIFAWorldCup/status/1664410108971868163

It is the second time both countries will be facing each other in this tournament. The first time both sides met in this competition was in the 2013 edition where Nigeria pipped South Korea 1-0 in the group stage.

Nigeria qualified for the knockout phase as the highest ranked third placed team, having garnered 6 points in 3 games, scoring 4 goals and conceding three.

South Korea finished second behind Gambia in the group stage scoring four goals and conceding three and lost one game.

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The winner between Nigeria and South Korea will face the conqueror between Colombia and Italy for a place in the final.

Coincidentally, both sides have never won this trophy, but have been beaten finalists.

The Taegeuk Warriors have been runners-up on one occasion which was in 2019 while the Flying Eagles have been runners-up twice, in 2005 and 1989 respectively.