 Eguavoen's team is out of the tournament |
Nigeria were eliminated from the U-17 Fifa World Championship in cruel circumstances on Tuesday. The Golden Eaglets needed to avoid defeat in their final Group B game against Argentina in Turku, Finland to qualify for the quarter-finals.
But they put on an uninspired performance and lost 1-0. Alejandro Faurlin secured victory for the South Americans with a 59th-minute strike.
It was hardly the kind of present coach Augustine Eguavoen was hoping for on his 38th birthday.
Costa Rica's 2-0 win over Australia in the other group fixture ensured that they were statistically tied with Nigeria.
With Argentina going through to the last eight as group winners, Fifa were left to decide the second place qualifier for the quarter-finals by the drawing of lots.
The hand of fate came down in favour of the Central Americans and the Nigerians were out.
Cameroon and Sierra Leone, the other African representatives in Finland, play their final group ties on Wednesday.
MMIX
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