Holders Nigeria punished Brazil’s profligacy and strolled into the last-four with a 3-0 victory, while Mali maintained their impressive defensive record to progress to their first FIFA U-17 World Cup semi-final courtesy of a tightly-contested 1-0 win over Croatia.
Three goals in five first-half minutes undid a positive start for Brazil, sending a stunned A Seleção home. Victor Osimhen, with his eighth goal in five games, Kingsley Michael and Udochukwu Anumudu hit the quick fire treble for the African side, with the rest of the game a mere procession for the four-time champions as they secured their passage to the final four.
Sekou Koita’s first-half effort was enough to see off the Europeans, despite a booking for captain Abdoul Dante meaning their leader and defensive organiser will miss the historic semi-final.
Quarter-finals results
Brazil 0-3 Nigeria
Croatia 0-1 Mali
The stat: 8 semi-finals for holders Nigeria, a new standalone U-17 World Cup record. They have now reached the most outright, after surpassing Brazil by beating them in the Chile 2015 quarter-final.
