Nigeria's Flying Eagles are up against what has become a hoodoo of some sort in their 30-year history at the Fifa Under-20 World Championship.
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The West Africans, who first took part at the Under-20 World Cup in 1983, are faced with a South American opposition in Uruguay this Tuesday at the Turk Telekom Arena in Istanbul.
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The Nigerian under-20s have never defeated a South American team at the Fifa Under-20 World Championship and Uruguay will fancy keeping that tradition intact.
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"We'll get even better," Uruguay midfield player, Geno Acevedo, told Fifa.com.
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Los Charruas will be looking to ape Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Venezuela, who have all inflicted defeats on Nigeria at different stages and editions of the Under-20 World Cup.
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Nigeria's record against South American opponents have been alarming as they have managed just a draw in previous eight of such encounters. That draw was achieved in Holland in a 0-0 outcome against Brazil on June 12, 2005.
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The Flying Eagles have also lost thrice to Brazil's under-20s in 1983, 1985 and 1987.
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In 1999 at the National Stadium in Lagos, Paraguay became the second South American team to beat Nigeria in a game they won 2-1.
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Six years later, Lionel Messi's double from the spot for Argentina stopped Nigeria from becoming champions of the 2005 edition.
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In Canada in 2007, Nigeria's under-20s managed by Ladan Bosso suffered an extra time blip in the quarterfinal against Chile. Within 24 minutes, Mauricio Isla's brace and further goals from Jaime Grondona and Mathias Vidangossy ensured the Chileans won 4-0.
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Venezuela were the last South American team to defeat Nigeria at the Under-20 World Cup inside the Al-Salam Stadium, Cairo in September 2009.
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Nigeria winger, Olarenwaju Kayode, recognises that the South Americans present himself and his teammates with a banana peel in the round of 16.
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"Uruguay are a very hard and physical side and we expect them to again be so on Tuesday. We won't underrate them," said Kayode.
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If John Obuh's men must go past the Uruguayans then they will have to find ways to stop the tall figure of Felipe Avenatti, Nicolas Lopez, Ruben Bentancourt and the skilful Giorgian De Arrascaeta as well as put up a knee-jerk show in front of goal.