Future Eagles Thrash New Caledonia 7-0 to Reach U-15 World Cup Round of 16

Nigeria’s Future Eagles have advanced to the Tier C Round of 16 at the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival in Baku, Azerbaijan, after thrashing New Caledonia 7-0 on Wednesday.

The emphatic victory extended Nigeria’s unbeaten run to six matches and marked their biggest win of the tournament so far.

Ijach Scores Hat-Trick in Nigeria’s Victory

Captain Timothy Ijach led the performance with a hat-trick, while Abdulrazak Muhammad scored twice. Wisdom Oche and Mayowa Salu also found the net.

Oche opened the scoring just 60 seconds into the match before Ijach struck in the 12th and 16th minutes to give Nigeria a three-goal advantage.

Muhammad added the fourth in the 21st minute, and Ijach completed his hat-trick in the 35th minute. Muhammad scored again four minutes later, before Salu sealed the 7-0 victory in the 40th minute.

Future Eagles Prepare for Round of 16

The result sends Nigeria into the last 16 of the Tier C bracket, where they will face the winner of the match between the Republic of Benin and Cuba.

The Future Eagles reached the knockout stage after finishing third in Group AD with seven points from five matches, recording one victory and four draws. They scored 11 goals and conceded 10 during the group phase, with Ijach emerging as one of their standout players.

The tournament’s tier-based format gives teams that miss out on the top two tiers another opportunity to compete for honours. Nigeria will now look to maintain their attacking form as they pursue a strong finish in the competition.

The tier finals are scheduled for Friday, October 30.

Punch Newspapers