The Flying Eagle
Nigeria became the first side to win the
African Youth Championship for the seventh time after beating hosts
Senegal 1-0 in the final of the 2015 edition at the Leopold Sedar
Senghor Stadium, Dakar on Sunday.
It was the second time the two sides
would meet in the competition after the Flying Eagles had beaten the
Young Lions 3-1 at the group stage where Nigeria topped the group to
head into the semi-finals.
Nigeria’s captain Musa Muhammed won the
tournament’s Most Valuable Player and Highest Goal Scorer’s awards after
he scored four goals.
A lone goal from Bernard Bulbwa handed the Nigerians their fifth win of the tournament.
Coach Manu Garba named the same side
which defeated Ghana 2-0 in the semi-finals with all players retaining
their starting roles.
It was a tale of missed chances for the
Senegalese, who were searching for their first continental title. They
attacked from the first blast of the whistle and almost went ahead in
the fifth minute when goalkeeper Joshua Enaholo saved Malick Niang’s
header from the first corner kick of the game.
The physical Senegal side pegged the
Nigerians in their half and came close again in the 10th minute when a
defensive error freed Malick again with Enaholo to beat but the keeper
saved his effort.
In the 15th minute, the Young Teranga
Lions came close to scoring again but Malick could again not direct his
header towards the Nigerian goal.
Against the run of play, Nigeria took
the lead in the 19th minute when Bulbwa right footed a shot from outside
the penalty area into the top right corner of the Senegalese goal after
a long ball from the defence.
Senegal thereafter searched for the
equaliser and almost got it in the 27th minute but the header was saved
by Enaholo, who was the busiest of the two keepers. But the Flying
Eagles survived another scare in the 40th minute when Mouhamet Sane
struck the upright with a header from a Sidy Sarr corner kick.
The second half began with Nigeria
attacking for their second goal and in the 59th minute, Bulbwa’s shot
from a Musa Muhammed free kick was saved by goalkeeper Ibrahima Sy.
Senegal continued the search for an
equaliser but the Nigerian defence and Enaholo denied them chance after
chance while Nigeria also had several chances from Taiwo Awoniyi and
Ifeanyi Matthew saved by Sy.
Meanwhile, Nigeria will play in Group E
of the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand as African champions
along with Brazil, North Korea and Hungary, while Senegal will play in
Group D along with Mexico, Uruguay and Serbia.
Third placed Ghana, who defeated Mali
3-1 in the losers’ final, will play in Group B along with Argentina,
Panama and Austria and Mali will play in Group C.
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