Nigeria’s Flying Eagles opened their World Cup preparations with a 1-1 draw against Chile in Rancagua on Saturday night, Soccernet.ng reports.
Aliyu Zubairu’s side started brightly and took the lead inside 18 minutes.
Tahir Maigana swung in a precise corner and Ahmed Akinyele rose highest to nod home and capitalise on Nigeria’s early dominance.
Daniel Bameyi marshalled the backline confidently, while Charles Agada and Ayuma Israel carried the attacking threat.
But Chile hit back against the run of play. A defensive lapse allowed Felipe Faúndez to find space and level the score in the 36th minute. The equaliser shifted momentum, and the hosts pressed hard, forcing goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt into two sharp saves just after the restart.
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Nigeria introduced Abduljelil Kamaldeen, Kparobo Arhieri and Auwal Ibrahim in the second half as Zubairu rotated his squad. The substitutions added energy but failed to produce a breakthrough, with both sides cancelling each other out in midfield battles.
Despite the draw, there were positives for the Flying Eagles. They looked organised, pressed high in the opening half, and showed resilience after conceding. However, questions remain over defensive concentration, an issue they must fix quickly before the tournament kicks off.
Next up for Nigeria is another stern test against Australia on Tuesday, their final warm-up before the FIFA U20 World Cup begins.
Zubairu will be hoping for sharper finishing and a more ruthless edge as his players continue fine-tuning in South America.