Flying Eagles captain Daniel Bameyi has attributed Nigeria’s 1-0 loss to Norway in their U20 World Cup opener to “ill luck,” saying the team did everything right except score.
Norway went ahead in the 9th minute via a controversial penalty, leaving the Flying Eagles chasing the game for over 80 minutes. Despite dominating the second half and creating multiple chances, Nigeria could not break down Norway’s defense, with Maigana hitting the upright and Salihu blasting just over the bar.
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After the final whistle, Bameyi admitted frustration but refused to blame his teammates. “We gave everything. We played with heart and commitment, but today luck was not on our side,” he said. “You could see from the chances we created that we wanted to win. Sometimes in football, you can dominate and still lose. That is what happened to us.”
The centre-back, who has been a consistent figure for Nigeria at youth level, emphasized the need for quick improvement before the next match against Saudi Arabia. “We cannot allow this result to affect our confidence. We know we still have a chance in this tournament, but we must correct our lapses in finishing. We have to be more clinical in front of goal.”
Bameyi also called on his teammates to remain united. “This is the time we must stand together. We cannot point fingers or lose hope. We have to fight harder, and I believe we will bounce back in the next game.”
The Flying Eagles will now prepare for their second group match against Saudi Arabia on Thursday, knowing that a victory is crucial to avoid an early exit from the tournament.
