Nigeria, Oct. 6 -- Nigeria's Flying Eagles booked their place in the knockout stage of the FIFA U-20 World Cup after grinding out a 1-1 draw with Colombia in their final Group F fixture in Talca, Chile.

The game played in the early hours of Monday was one of resilience, grit, and late drama as captain Daniel Bameyi's 86th-minute penalty sealed the crucial point that kept Nigeria's campaign alive.

Colombia, sharp and purposeful, dominated long stretches of the contest. After a goalless first half in which Nigeria's defence held firm, the South Americans finally broke through early in the second period. Kener Gonzalez pounced on a lapse in concentration to fire his side into the lead, sending the Colombian fans into raptures.

Nigeria wer...