The Golden Eaglets in the early hours of Thursday confirmed their readiness to defend the FIFA U-17 World Cup they won in 2013, by thrashing Australia 6-0, just as mercurial forward Victor Osimhen grabbed a hat-trick.
The team with this victory at the Vina Del Mar has set up a mouth-watering quarter final encounter with South American heavyweights Brazil.
The game started with the Golden Eagles getting a flurry of yellow cards for rash challenges on the Australians.
Midfielder Funsho Bamgboye’s 17th minute strike ricocheted off the woodwork after, just as the Aussies tried to fight off a Nigerian side packed with skills, agility and a great sense of teamwork.
Victor Osimhen will however not be denied as he proved why he is the tournament’s leading goal scorer when he powered down the left before a cutting dribble of an Australian defender right in front of the 18-yard box and shot into the roof of the goal post in the 22nd minute.
Bamgboye, who was lucky not to have seen red after a two-legged tackle on an Aussie player, was himself brought down in the penalty box, and captain Kelechi Nwakali stepped up to double the Eaglets lead.
The Australians struggled to get into the game with occasional flashes of brilliance, but it was Osimhen again he broke the goal silence in the second half when he converted two more goals in the 73rd and 78th minute of the encounter.
Michael Edidiong Essien and Samuel Chukwueze completed the rout, with goals in the 86th and 88th minutes respectively.