The head coach of the Chilean U17 national team, Miguel Ponce, has admitted that the defending champions U-17 World Champions, Nigeria stopped them from playing their game in his side's Wednesday 5-1 thumping by the Emmanuel Amunike led side.
"I told the kids: Nigeria respected us more than the result shows. They took measures to avoid us playing quickly, they knew to wait for us and scored after patient plays, they did not keep us in our goal for the whole game.
"It is true there were physical differences, especially when it came to speed, but it is also true we were not able to finish off the situations we created. Against a good team, they don't forgive you," Miguel Ponce said after the game.
Meanwhile, the Golden Eaglets manager, Emmanuel Amunike, revealed that he had prepared his team ahead of the game and was happy his plans worked out.
Nigeria has the fastest goal of the tournament so far with Samuel Chukwueze finding the net in the first 60 seconds of the game.
Nigeria maintained the led in group A with 6 points and will play Croatia on Friday at the same venue as today.
"It is true we were effective up front, but we also knew how to block their passing game, forcing them to play uncomfortably in the midfield. My players understood the transition game, that is when to attack, when to defend."
"We also prepared them mentally, it is not easy to play against the host. Chile has a god team, but today they lost against the best team. I believe they can qualify for the next round," Emmanuel Amuneke, Nigeria coach.