Brazil have beaten Nigeria 4-2 in dramatic and hugely entertaining game at New Plymouth's Taranaki Stadium. This meeting of Africa's champions and the five-time U-20 World Cup winners more than lived up to its billing, with the South Americans triumphing in a game that neither side deserved to lose.
It was a game with everything: brilliant goals, outrageous skill, flowing moves and, at the end, a horrible error. The crowd were enraptured from the word go and they had a goal to celebrate inside four minutes.
Judivan, who would go on to play a huge role, slipped in Joao Pedro and the overlapping right-back's low cross set up Gabriel Jesus for a crisp close-range finish. Brazil were good value for this early lead, having started the sharper of the two sides, but it wasn't long before Nigeria began flexing their muscles.
It was a game with everything: brilliant goals, outrageous skill, flowing moves and, at the end, a horrible error. The crowd were enraptured from the word go and they had a goal to celebrate inside four minutes.
Judivan, who would go on to play a huge role, slipped in Joao Pedro and the overlapping right-back's low cross set up Gabriel Jesus for a crisp close-range finish. Brazil were good value for this early lead, having started the sharper of the two sides, but it wasn't long before Nigeria began flexing their muscles.
Indeed, the Flying Eagles had already hit the post when they drew level just seven minutes after going behind. It was a wonderful goal too, with Musa Yahaya sending an outrageous 'rabona' through ball for Success Isaac to race through, round the keeper and slot coolly into the unguarded net.
That sent Nigerian confidence soaring and they added a second after 28 minutes with yet another well-crafted strike. This time the net bulged at the end of a slick breakaway, one which culminated in Yahaya cutting inside past the challenge of Jorge and crashing a shot high into the net from the edge of the box.
This was already a wonderful game but if the crowd thought it couldn't get any better, they were wrong. Parity was restored before half-time as Gabriel Jesus, the scorer of Brazil's opener, turned provider with another brilliant pass. His back-heel through the legs of Onyinye Ndidi was measured perfectly into the path of Judivan, who steadied himself and fired low and powerfully beyond the helpless Joshua Enaholo.
The electrifying standard wasn't quite maintained in the second half, but there were still two more goals to savour - both from Brazil.
First, Boschilia put them in front just before the hour-mark with a low 25-yard shot that swerved wildly before clipping the inside of the post on its way in. Then a calamitous error by Joshua Enaholo gifted Brazil the points, with the goalkeeper allowing the ball to squirm through legs and enabling Judivan to smash the ball home from a few centimetres out.
That sent Nigerian confidence soaring and they added a second after 28 minutes with yet another well-crafted strike. This time the net bulged at the end of a slick breakaway, one which culminated in Yahaya cutting inside past the challenge of Jorge and crashing a shot high into the net from the edge of the box.
This was already a wonderful game but if the crowd thought it couldn't get any better, they were wrong. Parity was restored before half-time as Gabriel Jesus, the scorer of Brazil's opener, turned provider with another brilliant pass. His back-heel through the legs of Onyinye Ndidi was measured perfectly into the path of Judivan, who steadied himself and fired low and powerfully beyond the helpless Joshua Enaholo.
The electrifying standard wasn't quite maintained in the second half, but there were still two more goals to savour - both from Brazil.
First, Boschilia put them in front just before the hour-mark with a low 25-yard shot that swerved wildly before clipping the inside of the post on its way in. Then a calamitous error by Joshua Enaholo gifted Brazil the points, with the goalkeeper allowing the ball to squirm through legs and enabling Judivan to smash the ball home from a few centimetres out.
By: FIFA.com
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