The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Golden Eaglets

  • Eaglets crush City FC of Calabar 9-1

    Eaglets crush City FC of Calabar 9-1

    The Golden Eaglets continued their impressive build-up towards the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in the UAE with a 9-1 spanking of City Football Club of Calabar – a Cross River State League team – at the main bowl of the U.J. Esuene Stadium Friday evening.

    Coach Manu Garba (MFR) fielded six of his regulars to the last CAN Championship including star striker Isaac Success. Of course, Success would score goals in the company of anybody and he was truly in his element as he netted twice with the game under 20 minutes.

    It should be said that City offered little resistance from the outset and were duly punished intermittently. Jacob Njoku, former Under-15 stalwart quickly added the third goal. There were two additional goals each for striker Taiwo Awoniyi and Musa Yahaya to end the first stanza with a healthy 7-0 score line for the Golden Eaglets.

    In the second half, Coach Garba brought in some of his new recruits but the game was barely two minutes old when City striker, Victor capitalised on a defensive mix-up to put the ball beyond goalkeeper Emeka Onyia who came in as a second half substitute for Sunday Alanpasu of College of Football, Abuja.

    The goal gingered City on as they momentarily stopped the ceaseless efforts of the Golden Eaglets. But Godwin Odibo of Nathaniel FC of Lagos, who had been a thorn in the flesh of the City defence, was soon badly brought down in the box. Defender Zaharadeen Bello converted the resultant penalty.

    Odibo capped his fine performance of the evening when he drilled an angular shot beyond the reach of City’s goalkeeper Ola, a few minutes to the end of the match that was watched by an enthusiastic crowd.

    “There is a good prospect with this team and the new boys are gradually settling down into the team,” Assistant Coach, Emmanuel Amuneke said afterwards.”We are on the right course and we will keep working on our objectives.”

  • Age scare: More Eaglets to be ‘thrown out’

    Age scare: More Eaglets to be ‘thrown out’

    Nigeria’s U-17 team will be further decimated after a decision to throw out more players who are on the borderline of a recent age test.

    MTNFootball.com reports that officials have recommended that players who are on grade 5 of the recent MRI test be asked to go rather than risk them for the FIFA U17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

    FIFA accept grade 5 for the U17 World Cup, but officials have said players on that grade from the recent MRI scan could well be past that grade by the time of the tournament.

    There is also the possibility that the MRI machine used in Nigeria may not be as sophisticated as what would eventually be used at UAE.

    Confused U-17 officials had divided the players on grade 5 into A and B with those in A with a better chance to scale the age test in Dubai.

    However, this division was disregarded by medical experts, who said there was no basis for such division.

    “The final decision to do away with players on grade 5 has thrown the Eaglets into more confusion as it means many more players will now have to be decamped,” a top official informed MTNFootball.com

    “We don’t wish to take unnecessary risks and so this decision.

    “It simply means the coaches have to draft capable replacements for the players to be affected by this.”

    The FIFA U17 World Cup in the UAE will be played from October 17 with the draw to be staged on August 26 in Abu Dhabi.

     

  • Jonathan hosts F/Eagles, Eaglets Tuesday

    Jonathan hosts F/Eagles, Eaglets Tuesday

    President Goodluck Jonathan will on Tuesday host the country’s U-17 and U-20 teams, officials told MTNFootball.com.

    The Golden Eaglets lost in the final of the African U-17 Championship in Morocco, while the Flying Eagles placed third at the African Youth Championship in Algeria.

    The Eaglets lost on penalties to Cote d’Ivoire after final scores stood at 1-1 in the championship final in Marrakech.

    The U-20s defeated Mali 2-1 in a third-placed match to avenge a 1-0 loss to their West African rivals.

    Both teams have qualified for their respective World Cups and Nigeria can boast of a special record of having medals in Africa at full international, U-20 and U-17 levels in one calendar year.

    Top government and sports ministry officials have been locked in talks over the presidential reception.

    A top official informed MTNFootball.com: “The President will receive the teams on Tuesday at Aso Rock.

    “All arrangements in this regard have been finalised.”

    However, the Flying Eagles would be honoured in absentia as the team is currently in Germany on a training tour ahead of the U-20 World Cup in Turkey next month.

    Interestingly Nigeria won the 2011 African Youth Championship in South Africa.

    President Jonathan rewarded the Super Eagles with national honours, cash and plots of land when the team won a third Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa in February.

     

  • COTE D’ IVOIRE BEAT NIGERIA 5-4 TO LIFT FIRST TITLE

    COTE D’ IVOIRE BEAT NIGERIA 5-4 TO LIFT FIRST TITLE

    THE Baby Elephants of Cote d’ Ivoire won their first African U-17 title after a 5-4 penalty shoot victory over The Golden Eaglets of Nigeria in the final of CAF U-17 Morocco Telecom Championship played in Marrakech on Saturday. The West African derby had ended 1-1 with both goals scored in the first half of a pulsating encounter.

    It took the Nigerians eight minutes to open the scoring through Prince Omego. Chidiebere Nwakali took a corner kick that forced a save from the Ivorian goal minder Aboubakar Diabagate who punched a goal-bound header back into play and Omega reacted quickest to poke home the first goal of the match Nigeria could have doubled their lead some minutes later when some intricate play found Musa Yahaya all by himself in the box but with everyone looking for the off-side whistle which did not come, Yahaya dragged his short wide of the post.

    The Ivorians’ response was to try and get some service to their front tall striker Bile Bedia. Twenty-six minutes had gone when Baby Elephants won a free-kick in the Nigeria half. Bedia used his height advantage to jump furthest and flick a header into the top corner of Adeyinka Adewale’s net for the equalizer. Just after that Success Isaac was thwarted by Diabagate after beat his marker but the goalkeeper closed the angel forcing the competition top-goal scorer to blaze his effort.

    The Ivorians then took the midfield contest to their opponents with Bekanty Angban , Aboubacar Keita and Digbo Maiga who was playing just behind Bedia stretching and tussling with Kelechi Iheanacho, Bernard Bulbwa, Yahaya. It was a similar story in the second and Adewale was I the wars after being knocked down a couple of times from corner kicks as the taller Ivorians attacked high balls.

    The teams engaged in a fierce battle and both defenses stood solid in an evenly contest match. The Baby Elephants came close to a second goal when captain Yannick Kessie played a through ball to Maiga only for Musa Muhammed to come with a crucial challenge.

  • CAF U-17: Garba wants Cote d’Ivoire revenge

    CAF U-17: Garba wants Cote d’Ivoire revenge

    Golden Eaglets coach, Manu Garba, has said he will seek to avenge a 1-0 loss against Cote d’Ivoire in Saturday’s CAF U-17 Championship final.

    Cote d’Ivoire inflicted the Eaglets first-ever loss whether in a friendly or competitive game.

    Manu said his team was unlucky in the group game against the Ivoirians.

    “The final match against Cote d’Ivoire on Saturday is going to be a different ball game because we were unlucky when we lost 1-0 in the group stage,” the coach told MTNFootball.com.

    “We are going to play a better game because we now know them better.”

    The continental championship though remains the main target of the Golden Eaglets.

    “We are very happy to qualify for the final because our aim was to come here and win this trophy and make Nigerians happy,” said forward Chidera Ezeh.

    “We are happy to be in the final and as usual, we would be waiting for instructions from our coaches to play against Cote d’ Ivoire in the final.”

    Tunisia coach Ben Soltane Abdelhay equally admitted that Wednesday’s semi-final was a difficult game for both teams, while admitting that the Nigerians were stronger and deserved their place in the final.

    “It was a tough match for us because the Nigerias were stronger physically,” he said.”The temperature affected us too but that is not taking anything away from Nigeria.”

    Saturday’s final between Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire would be the first at this level, but it would be Nigeria’s fourth final appearance.

    The Golden Eaglets conquered the continent twice in 2001 and 2007, but were unsuccessful in 1995.

     

  • CAF U-17 tourney: Haruna, Turkish coach tip Eaglets for glory

    CAF U-17 tourney: Haruna, Turkish coach tip Eaglets for glory

    Former Golden Eaglets captain, Lukman Haruna, has tipped Nigeria to win a third African U-17 championship in Morocco.

    The 22-year-old Dynamo Kiev midfielder was the captain of victorious Golden Eaglets to the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup in South Korea.

    He also captained Nigeria at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt, before the featured at the 2010 World Cup with the Super Eagles and also led the Nigeria Olympic team.

    “Honestly, I have not seen them in action but I have heard and read about their potentials. And from what I have heard and read, they are on course to conquering Africa and ruling the world,” Haruna told MTNFootball.com

    “I could remember my playing days back then. The hunger and determination to be at the top pushed us. And I thank God for where I am today.

    “It was a great honour to represent Nigeria at all the age groups.”

    However, Haruna would warn the Eaglets Class of 2013 to stay grounded so as to fulfill their full potentials beginning with Wednesday’s semi-final against Tunisia.

    “My advice to them is to keep their focus and play their opponents with humility and confidence,” said the former Monaco ace, who also lauded the Nigeria Football Federation for motivating the team by doubling their match bonuses.

    Turkish coach Hasan Egilmez, who is in Morocco for the U-17 tourney, has equally backed the Eaglets to be crowned champions in Morocco.

     

  • Aftermath of big win: Eaglets target CAF U-17 crown

    Aftermath of big win: Eaglets target CAF U-17 crown

    Nigeria has shifted focus to emerging champions after the Golden Eaglets drubbed Congo 7-0 to reach the semi-finals of the African U-17 Championship in Morocco.

    Kelechi Iheanacho scored a hat-trick with tournament leading scorer Isaac Success grabbing a brace as the three-time world champions pounded nine-man Congo to set up a semi-final clash against Tunisia on Wednesday evening in Marrekech, Morocco.

    Coach Manu Garba saluted the courage of the players to bounce back immediately after their shock 1-0 loss to Cote d’ Ivoire, adding that the focus now is on the semi-final game against Tunisia.

    “We are happy that we have eventually qualified for the World Cup because that was our first priority at this championship and we thank God that we have achieved that,” MTNFootball.com quoted Garba as saying after the match.

    “We are happy that we eventually topped a tough group that had three strong West African teams and Congo. But we have put this victory over Congo behind us as we forge ahead for the crucial stages of the championship.”

    Striker Success, who now leads the tournament’s scorer’s chart with six goals, said the players are now looking forward to the game against Tunisia.

    “We are looking forward to the game against Tunisia on Wednesday,” he said.

     

     

  • AYC U17: Golden Eaglets beat Congo 7-0

    AYC U17: Golden Eaglets beat Congo 7-0

    The Golden Eaglets on Saturday at the ongoing African Under- 17  Football Championship defeated Congo 7-0  inside the Stade de Marrakech in Morocco .

    With the victory, the team is now through to the semi- finals of the competition and the U17 World Cup to hold in United Arab Emirate later in the year.

    Kelechi Iheanacho scored  a hat-trick.

     

  • Eaglets lifted by Congo draw

    Eaglets lifted by Congo draw

    Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets need only a draw on Saturday against Congo to qualify for the U-s17 World Cup after Congo and Ghana drew 1-1.

    Ghana remains bottom of Group B with just a point from two matches and must now beat leaders Cote d’Ivoire in the final group match on Saturday and hope Nigeria beat Congo to qualify for the semi-final and also book a slot to play at the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup in United Arab Emirate, MTNFootball.com reports.

    Ghana U-17 team, the Black Starlets, forced Congo to a 1-1 draw in Marrakech on Wednesday in the teams’ second group match.

    The Ghanaians came from behind to salvage a point against the Congolese to keep their semi-final qualification hopes alive.

    They were stunned after just three minutes when goalkeeper Mohammed Ali spilled Ngatsongo Obassi’s free-kick for striker Kader Bidimbou to tap in from close range.

    Congo came close to extend the lead, but Obassi’s shot missed narrowly.

    Coach Kwesi Fabin-tutored side kept mounting pressure in search of equaliser and this finally paid off with the equaliser in the 37th minute through Yaw Yeboah, who connected home skipper Thomas Agyepong”s cross.

    The rains came down and that affected the quality of the pitch.

     

  • CAF U-17 tourney: Eaglets will be champions – Garba

    CAF U-17 tourney: Eaglets will be champions – Garba

    Golden Eaglets coach, Manu Garba has restated his team will be African U-17 champions after Sunday’s 6-1 victory over Ghana.

    Supersport.com reports that Nigeria has won the U-17 championship twice with the last triumph being in 2007 in Togo.

    “We enjoyed this victory against the Ghanaians because they a good side and we are traditional opponents,”Supersport.com quoted Garba as saying at the post match conference.

    “It is a good start for us, but we remain focused because we have not won anything yet.

    “This is not the first time Nigeria is winning by a big margin at this level, when we won the tournament in Togo in 2007, we beat Eritrea 8-0, but this is the first time we are beating Ghana this way.

    “We are happy and we are looking forward to a good tournament and by the grace of God, we shall qualify for the World Cup as African champions.”

    Star striker Isaac Success lived up to the billing by grabbing four goals with Bernard Bulbwa and Kelechi Iheanacho also getting among the goals.

    Success was given the match ball following his hat-trick and has dedicated his goals to his mother and Golden Eaglets teammate, Friday Njengo, who is still at the National Hospital Abuja following injury in an auto crash in February.

    Njengo, who had been in coma for weeks, was recently transferred from the hospital’s intensive care unit to the general ward as he recuperates.