Nigeria’s 2015 U-20 World Cup campaign is back on track after a 4-0 win over North Korea at the Stadium Taranaki on Thursday. The African champions had to win their second Group E match after they lost their opening game 4-2 to Brazil.

However, the Flying Eagles had to wait till the second half before they got the goals after a most forgettable first 45 minutes. Godwin Saviour grabbed a brace with Kingsley Sokari and Isaac Success also getting on the scoresheet.

Saviour justified his first start for Nigeria at New Zealand 2015 when he headed home Musa Mohammed’s cross from the right for the first goal after 48 minutes. He doubled his team’s lead three minutes later when he latched on to another great pass by Awoniyi, before he held off his marker and the goalkeeper to slide the ball home.

Sokari made it 3-0 in the 70^th minute when he drilled home a thunderbolt, which gave the Korea goalkeeper no chance at all.

Substitute Musa Yahaya was denied by a brilliant save by the goalkeeper in the 75^th minute, before another substitute, Isaac Success, made it 4-0 when he fired home on 80 minutes after he was set up by Awoniyi.

Nigeria could have taken the lead under a minute when skipper Musa Mohammed let fly from outside the box and it came off the post with goalkeeper Jong Hun Cha well beaten. Saviour then scoffed his shot from inside the box after just four minutes, before Korea threatened twice in succession.

Nigeria had the better chances with Saviour denied by a fine save on 15 minutes, before Taiwo Awoniyi was blocked from pulling the trigger from inside the vital area three minutes later. Both Bulbwa and Awoniyi had chances to open scoring for the Flying Eagles soon after but they were not clinical in front of goal.

 

On 28 minutes, Awoniyi’s goal-bound effort was scrambled for a corner by the Korea shot stopper.