Nigeria’s national Under-20 team were held by a stubborn South African side to a 0-0 draw in their second group game of the 2019 Total Under 20 Africa Cup of Nations at the Stade General Seyni Kountché in Niamey on Tuesday evening.
The Flying Eagles, led by coach Paul Aigbogun were on top of the group after their opening day 2-0 win over Burundi while the South Africans held host nation Niger to a 1-1 draw in the tournament’s opener, also on Saturday.
Record seven time winners Nigeria however met a stumbling block in the defensively organised South African side, inspired by captain and goalkeeper Khulekani Kubheka who was in top form all through the game especially to ward off Nigeria’s aerial threat.
Kubheka however produced a drawer save to deny Nigerian midfielder Jamil Muhammad who hit a ferocious effort after a corner kick was cleared onto his path. The Cape Umoya goalkeeper despite seeming to lose his footing recovered to dive to his left to save Muhammad’s effort.
The South Africans just had a single attempt on target in the opening fifteen minutes and that was all from them as they stayed on the back foot all through, recording just 34% of the ball possession against Nigeria’s 66%.
Nigeria still stay top of the group with four points from their opening two games but hosts Niger will face Burundi in the evening game at the same stadium.
Nigeria will face Niger in their final group game of the competition on Friday at the biggest stadium in the West African country.
