Two goals from United States striker Sebastian Soto were all Americans needed to claimall the three pionts at stake in rainy Bielsko-Bialo Monday night.

The win over the Flying Eagles of Nigeria was the first victory the Americans would record at Poland 2019, and the Nigerians’ first defeat at the football tourney.

USA coach Tab Ramos made just one change to the starting XI from his side’s opener against Ukraine, and it paid doubly. First, Soto slipped his marker and nodded home Alex Mendez’s corner-kick service at the far post in the 18th minute, giving the USA a 1-0 lead.

Less than one minute into the second half Soto snuck past the Nigeria defence yet again, doubling his team’s advantage. Chris Gloster played him through beautifully after a marauding run inside from the left-back. Soto then got his feet and hips right, waited for the goalkeeper to collapse and popped the ball into the net with the inside of his right foot.

Nigeria weren’t without their chances, leaving the USA scrambling from a flurry of brilliant individual efforts toward the end of the first half. First, substitute Aniekeme Okon’s ferocious full volley at the top of the area was saved by Brady Scott. That was followed by forward Maxell Effiom’s stinger from outside the right corner of the box which clipped the crossbar a minute later.

In the end the USA were resolute, holding on to greatly lift their chances of advancing from Group D.

The Ngerians later said the loss to the Americans was not the result they wanted having won their first match comprehensively.

They expressed their anger on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) website: “Not the result we wanted, but we will pick up ourselves from this loss and focus on winning our final group game against Ukraine.”- Flying Eagles

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