Nigerian under 20,draw 2-2 with ivory coast

Coach Manu Garba’s side emerged as Group A winners
after coming from behind two goals to force their Ivorian rivals to a draw on Saturday.
         Nigeria U20 played a 2-2 draw with Cote d’Ivoire in the last Group A game of the African
Youth Championship on Saturday.
Goals from Christian Pyagbara and a second half
spot kick from captain Musa Muhammed were all
the Flying Eagles needed to end the preliminary
round unbeaten and they will now face either Mali
or Ghana in the semi final of the championship on Wednesday.
     The match played at the Stade Caroline Faye stadium,
M'Bour saw Anderson Niangbo put Ivory coast, who needed a win, ahead in the
4th minute after firing a shot past goalkeeper
Ojo Olorunleke after beating his markers.
13 minutes to half time break, Chris Bedia put the Young Elephants ahead after  Olorunleke
goofed his lowly placed shot even as
Muhammed's run towards clearing the line proved abortive.
Kamara's side could have made it 3-1 in the closing of the first half but Anderson's effort
went over the cross bar as they Flying Eagles
found it difficult to penetrate their opponent's backline.
On resumption of the second half, Nigeria
mounted pressure on Cote d'Ivoire and got
rewarded as Muhammed was fouled in the
penalty area and referee Mutaz Abdelbasit Khairalla pointed
to the spot.
Muhammed stepped up to send goalkeeper
Aboubakar Diabagate the wrong way for the leveller and his third of the competition.
Both teams struggled to get the match winner as the game drew to a close with Cote d'Ivoire
kissing the African youth Cup goodbye.
With this result, Manu's boys finished Group A
with seven points.

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