Nigeria have become the first African team to qualify for the Under-20 Football World Cup to be held in New Zealand later in 2015.
The Flying Eagles beat Congo 4-1 in their Group A match on Wednesday at the Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium in Dakar.
They will qualify as one of the top two teams in their group at the African Under-20 championships in Senegal, and in doing so, secure a spot at the World Cup which starts in June. The other spot in Group A will go to either Senegal, Congo and Cote d’Ivoire with South Africa, Mali, Zambia and Ghana battling it out in Group B.
Nigeria, who are favourites for the the African under-20 title, still managed to win despite having goalkeeper Enaholo Joshua sent off 26 minutes into the game, prompting a reshuffle to allow their second choice goalie to take the field. Captain Musa Muhamed scored twice from the penalty spot, whilst Ifeanyi Matthew and man-of-the-match Taiwo Awoniyi were also on target for Nigeria.
