Nigeria’s journey at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Chile 2025 came to a painful end after a crushing 4–0 loss to Argentina in the Round of 16 in Santiago, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The South Americans were dominant and efficient, scoring twice in each half to secure a comfortable place in the quarter-finals, while the Flying Eagles struggled to contain the relentless tempo and attacking precision of Diego Placente’s team.

Alejo Sarco opened the scoring within the first two minutes, finishing from close range after Dylan Gorosito’s cross left Nigerian goalkeeper Ebenezar Harcourt stranded. It was an early blow for Aliyu Zubairu’s side, who looked unsettled by Argentina’s pressing and fluid movement.

Argentina doubled their lead midway through the first half when Maher Carrizo curled a superb free-kick from just outside the box into the bottom-right corner, leaving Harcourt rooted. Nigeria nearly responded before the break as Daniel Daga fired a volley goalward, only to be denied by a stunning one-handed save from Santino Barbi.

The second half continued in similar fashion, with Argentina maintaining control and exploiting Nigeria’s defensive vulnerabilities. In the 53rd minute, Milton Delgado intercepted Daga in midfield and played through Carrizo, who calmly slotted home for his second goal and Argentina’s third.

Thirteen minutes later, Mateo Silvetti added a fourth, cutting inside from the right and curling a precise finish beyond Harcourt to complete the rout. Despite substitutions from Zubairu — including Abduljelil Kamaldeen, Auwal Ibrahim, and Charles Agada — Nigeria failed to find rhythm or attacking cohesion.

Late efforts from Kparobo Arierhi and Haruna Aliyu went wide, as Argentina managed the closing stages with composure, keeping possession and dictating play. The statistics reflected their superiority, with more shots on target and nearly double Nigeria’s completed passes.

Nigeria’s frustration grew in the second half as Nasiru Salihu and Emmanuel Ekele were booked for reckless challenges. A brief VAR check for a possible penalty in the first half was dismissed after review.

Despite flashes of promise from Daga and Maigana, the Flying Eagles’ defensive lapses and lack of cohesion proved costly. The result highlights the growing gap between Nigeria and the tournament’s elite sides, just two years after their memorable victory over Argentina at the 2023 edition.

Argentina will now face Mexico in the quarter-finals, looking to continue their impressive record at this level. For Nigeria, the defeat marks another disappointing chapter in their quest for a first-ever U-20 World Cup title.