Tag: Eaglets

The sweat merchant of the Iranian U17 team, Ali Doustimehr has tipped the Golden Eaglets as the future of Nigeria’s senior national team after the players’ impressive 4-1 bashing of his side in the second round of the U17 World Cup taking place in the United Arab Emirates.

The Eaglets were rampant against the Asians and they left no one in doubt of their determination to beat their foes and secure a berth in the last eight of the cadet championship.

In an interview with journalists shortly after the match decided at the Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain, Doustimehr said the power play and the robust attacking style of the Eaglets made them very unpredictable, and he heaped praises on the coaching crew for selecting such a youthful side that could make Nigeria’s Super Eagles a force to reckon with in the future.

“I want to congratulate the Golden Eaglets for the way they have played against my boys; they are the future of your national team.

“They played a very special kind of football that one may tend to doubt their true ages,” he said.

• Says his game plan worked against the Nigerians

Sweden U17 coach, Roland Larsson has stated that the Golden Eaglets were lucky to secure a draw in their Group F FIFA U17 World Cup cracker in Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain.

Though he admitted the Eaglets played exceptional football during the game which ended 3-3 but he noted that his boys were only few minutes from hugging the headlines for the good reasons with an unlikely win over the three time champions, Nigeria.

Sweden are in their debut appearance at the cadet championship but they left the sparsely populated spectators at the Stadium bewildered when they shot into a two goal lead within the first 20 minutes through Valmir Berisha’s brace. But the Eaglets fought back and equalised through goals from Isaac Success and Musa Yahaya in the 22nd and 48th minutes.

Sweden regained ascendancy in the 65th minute through Mirza Halvadzic, before a powerful header from a pull out was converted by Taiwo Awoniyi in the 81st minute and the tie ended that way.

Despite the draw, coach Larsson praised the efforts of his boys whom he described as complete set of hard working players that stick to instructions of their technical crew.

The Sweden gaffer further stated that the technical crew spied on the Eaglets in their first game against Mexico at the ongoing 2013 FIFA U17 World Cup in UAE and was glad that they had a near perfect outing against the dreaded Nigerians.

I think we were close to winning the game and I am very proud of my team because we played a very good game. We were the rookies here because this is our first time. We have learnt a lot from these matches and the boys deserve all the credit.

It is a draw against a good team and I am impressed with the individual skills, speed and I think both teams deserved the point got in this match.

Quoting his exact words:”We watched all the Eaglets’ matches at the African U17 Championship in Morocco and we had some scouts here in their first game against Mexico last Saturday. We had a plan to work very close and we played different kind of defending. Our plan was to keep the team together and take care of all the chances that we get and we also made use of the wings too. We were very successful with this.”

Sweden will play Mexico in the final group match at Al Ain on Friday with both sides needing a result that will guarantee their place in the next round while Nigeria and Iraq face off in Dubai on same day.

Nigeria thrice came from behind to hold Sweden to a thrilling 3-3 draw in an U17 World Cup game on Tuesday.

Nigeria thus lead Group F with four points from two games, same as Sweden but are ahead on +5 goals difference as against second-placed Sweden who have +3 goal difference.

Mexico are third after they beat Iraq 3-1 in the other group game.

The game was keenly contested in the first half, with Nigeria’s Chidera Eze having the first shot at goal which went off target.

Abdulahi Alfa dictated the pace in the midfield, combining well with Akinjide Idowu.

However, Valmin Berisha gave Sweden the lead in the 11th minute, when he jabbed in Rakip’s header after Dele Alampasu went off his line and fumbled an aerial ball.

Nigeria went close instantly with left back Samuel Okon’s long-range effort in the 12th minute deflected for a corner kick.

Berisha completed a brace in the 19th minute with a header after he was set up from the left flank.

Three minutes later, Isaac Success scored with a superb volley when he connected Kelechi Iheanacho’s long pass into the box.

Alampasu in goal for Nigeria made a save in the 31st minute to deny Sweden another goal.

Success was forced to leave the pitch in the 32nd minute for what looks like a hamstring injury and was replaced by Taiwo Awoniyi.

Okon almost made it 2-2 for Nigeria when his 30-yard chip was tipped over the bar for a corner kick.

Yahaya Musa equalised for Nigeria with a hopeful 25-yard shot which was fumbled by the Sweden goalkeeper to take the tally to 2-2 in the 48th minute.

First-half substitute Halvandzic then restored Sweden’s lead in the 65th minute when he tapped in from close range.

Sweden’s keeper made a double save in the 71st minute from the efforts of Yahaya Musa and Taiwo Awoniyi.

However, never-say-die Eaglets almost equalised when Awoniyi shot directly to the waiting hand of the goalkeeper in the 80th minute.

Awoniyi made amends with a glancing header a minute later off Iheanacho’s cross to make it 3-3.

Nigeria mounted pressure to get the winner towards the end of the game, but met a resolute Sweden defence.