The captain of the Flying Eagles, Daniel Bameyi, expressed his delight as Nigeria kicked off their 2023 FIFA U20 World Cup campaign with a remarkable comeback victory against the Dominican Republic on Sunday. Bameyi acknowledged that the team could have secured a more convincing win if they had been more clinical in front of goal.

After falling behind to a penalty converted by Edison Azcona in the 23rd minute, the Flying Eagles managed to equalize in the 31st minute when Guillermo Ronaldo de Peña Rosario inadvertently scored an own goal. With just twenty minutes remaining, Jude Sunday capitalized on a defensive error and completed the comeback, securing all three points for Nigeria.

Reflecting on the match, Bameyi commented, “It was a good game, despite the fact that we missed a lot of chances. The statistics clearly show it. Nonetheless, securing the three points was our objective, and we achieved it today.”

A victory against Italy in their next game on Wednesday would guarantee Nigeria’s qualification for the round of 16. Bameyi emphasized that the Italians, who impressively defeated Brazil 3-2 in their opening match, are indeed a strong team. However, he remained confident in Nigeria’s abilities, stating, “The next opponent defeated Brazil, and we had the chance to observe their performance in the first half. Although it won’t be easy, as Nigerians, we are not afraid of anyone, and we believe that any team can be beaten regardless of their style of play. If we could win today, we can win on Wednesday as well.”

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