African champions, the Flying Eagles, suffered 4-2 defeat in their opening group game of the U-20 World Cup against Brazil at the New Plymouth’s Taranaki Stadium, New Zealand on Monday.
Striker Judivan scored twice as Brazil beat Nigeria 4-2 on Monday in a thrilling start to its FIFA Under-20 World Cup campaign.
The lead changed hands twice during the first half, and the teams went to halftime locked at 2-2 before Judivan clinched the match with his second goal eight minutes from fulltime thanks to a rare Nigerian defensive blunder.
Brazil’s win gave the five-time champion an early advantage in Group E ahead of the match later Monday between Hungary and North Korea.
The clash between Brazil and Nigeria at New Plymouth was forecast to be one of the best of the group rounds and lived up to that billing as the teams went blow for blow. There were flowing attacking moves, brilliant displays of individual skill and great goals which lifted the tone of a tournament that has been relatively low key to date.
Judivan was a hugely influential figure, not only for his goals, but for his tenacity and playmaking ability. He featured prominently in a move in the fourth minute that also saw Joao Pedro and Gabriel Jesus combine for the opening goal.
An early strike from Nigeria hit the post but they equalized after only 11 mintues when Musa Yahaya sent a superb pass to Success Isaac, who rounded the ‘keeper before slotting the ball into an open goal.
Nigeria took the lead in the 28th minute from a slick breakaway, at the end of which Yahaya cut inside a defender and drove the ball into the goal from the edge of the box.
After scoring Brazil’s opening goal, Gabriel Jesus became the provider of the second, back-heeling the ball through the legs of Onyinye Ndidi and into the path of Judivan, who scored with a low shot.
The tempo flagged a little at the start of the second half before Boschilia put Brazil ahead 3-2 just before the hour mark. Judivan then made the game safe with the final goal after an error by goalkeeper Joshua Enaholo.