Alejo Sarco, Maher Carrizo shine as Argentina dominate Flying Eagles in knockout-stage thriller
SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO, Argentina – Argentina delivered a commanding 4-0 victory over Nigeria’s Flying Eagles on Wednesday, ending the African side’s FIFA U-20 World Cup run with clinical finishing that left little doubt about the outcome.
Argentina Score Early, Never Look Back
Alejo Sarco needed just two minutes to open the scoring, tapping in from a Dylan Gorosito cross. That early strike set the tone at the Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades, and things only got worse for Nigeria from there.
Maher Carrizo doubled the lead with a brilliant left-footed free-kick on 23 minutes. He wasn’t done. Shortly after the break, at 53 minutes, he added his second to make it 3-0.
Mateo Silvetti wrapped up the scoring on 66 minutes with a low finish from a Gianluca Prestianni assist. By then, the match was long over as a contest.
Flying Eagles Struggle to Break Through
Nigeria huffed and puffed but rarely looked threatening. Daniel Daga had a close-range effort saved before halftime, a brief moment of hope that went nowhere.
Kparobo Arierhi came closest when he rattled the post in first-half stoppage time. But that was about it. Argentina’s goalkeeper Santino Barbi was rarely tested, and the defensive unit behind him looked solid throughout.
Credit where it’s due: goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt made several important saves early on. Without him, the scoreline could’ve been even uglier for the African champions.
Tactical Changes Fail to Spark Revival
Nigeria’s coach tried to shake things up early in the second half, bringing on Auwal Ibrahim, Abduljelil Kamaldeen, Emmanuel Ekele, and Charles Agada. Four fresh legs in search of a spark.
It didn’t work. Argentina’s midfield control and sharp finishing made the substitutions look futile. Nigeria couldn’t establish any sustained pressure or carve out clear chances.
Every time the Flying Eagles tried to build something, they hit a blue-and-white wall. Argentina’s midfield trio cut off supply lines and dominated possession. Simple as that.
What This Result Means
Argentina moves on to the U-20 World Cup quarterfinals, chasing a seventh title in the competition. They last won it in 2007 and keep churning out talent, Messi, Maradona, Agüero all came through this tournament.
For Nigeria, it’s a bitter end to what looked promising. The Flying Eagles won the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations earlier this year and arrived with genuine confidence.
The 4-0 scoreline raises uncomfortable questions about how Nigerian youth teams stack up against elite South American opposition. African teams have made strides at this level, but gaps remain, Wednesday’s match made that painfully clear.
Key Performers and What Scouts Saw
Maher Carrizo’s two-goal showing puts him on the radar if he wasn’t already. That free-kick alone will have European scouts taking notes.
Alejo Sarco’s goal inside two minutes showed Argentina’s intent right from kickoff. Scoring that early forced Nigeria into chase mode, a position they never recovered from.
Defensively, Argentina looked organized and disciplined. They limited Nigeria to maybe two genuine chances across 90 minutes. That’s impressive at any level.
The U-20 World Cup has always been a talent showcase. Nigeria’s produced stars like Mikel Obi and Kelechi Iheanacho through this pathway. Whether any players from this squad reach that level remains to be seen.
Looking Ahead
Argentina will face either the United States or Ecuador in the quarterfinals. Based on this performance, they’ll fancy their chances against whoever shows up.
Nigeria heads home to figure out what went wrong. Making the knockout stage counts for something, especially for a young squad building toward future tournaments. But 4-0 stings no matter how you frame it.
The match laid bare the difference between potential and execution. Nigeria had flashes of promise. Argentina had ruthless efficiency. At this level, efficiency wins every time.
