Miracle of Dammam

The Miracle of Dammam also known as The Dammam Miracle was the name given to the result of a quarter-final football match between the Nigerian U-20 football team and the USSR U-20 football team at the 1989 FIFA World Youth Championship in Saudi Arabia which the Nigerian U-20 team went on to win on penalties.[1] The match created a footballing record as Nigeria became the first team to come back from four goals down to equalize and then go on to win a FIFA World Cup match at any level.[2]

Miracle of Dammam
Event1989 FIFA World Youth Championship
Nigeria Soviet Union
4 4
Nigeria won 5–3 on penalties
Date25 February 1989 (1989-02-25)
VenuePrince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
RefereeHubert Forstinger (Austria)
Attendance10,000

The match

Summary

The match was played at the Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam with an attendance of about 10,000 spectators. The Soviet Union raced to a four-goal lead within 46 minutes with a brace from Sergei Kiriakov in the 30th and 58th minutes with further goals from Bakhva Tedeev and Oleg Salenko in the 45th and 46th minutes respectively in a keenly contested match. With thirty minutes to full-time, Nigeria responded through a brace from Christopher Ohenhen in the 61st and 75th minutes. Samuel Elijah scored the third goal in the 83rd minute before the captain of the Nigerian team Nduka Ugbade completed the remarkable comeback with a goal in the 84th minute to end the game in a draw.[3]

Details
Soviet Union 4–4 (a.e.t.)
(3–5 pen.)		 Nigeria
Kiriakov 30’, 58’
Tedeev 45’
Salenko 46’		 (Report) Ohenhen 61’, 75’
Elijah 83’
Ugbade 84’
Attendance: 10,000

Note
  • Nigeria won the match on penalties and went on to become second at the tournament after losing to Portugal in the final.[1]

References
  1. "Greatest Comeback: The Dammam Miracle VS Cape Town wonder". Vanguard Nigeria. 26 January 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  2. Great Nigerian Heros. Kayode Ogundare. Complete Sports. 8 July 2015. p. 10.
  3. "Nigeria's Greatest Football Comeback: The Dammam Miracle VS Cape Town wonder". 26 January 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
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