Tag: Golden Eaglets

Nigeria U17 team defeated Team Nigeria UK 9-0 in a friendly game played at the Abuja National Stadium on Wednesday.

A treble from Emeka Ebere, a brace from Suleiman Abdullahi plus strikes from Kelechi Nwakali, Orji Promie, Chinedu Madueke and Gavi Thompson were all the reigning world champions needed to continue their winning streak as they continue preparations for the FIFA U17 World Cup in Chile.

The game was watched by LMC Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko NFF Executive Committee members Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, Felix Anyansi-Agwu, Alhaji Ahmad Kawu and Alhaji Ahmed Yusuf.

Others include NFF Deputy General Secretary, Emmanuel Ikpeme, Amodu Shuaibu and U-23 coach Samson Siasia.

“The match was just another opportunity to test and evaluate our players as we build towards the World Cup in Chile but we are not bothered with the score line,” said coach Amuneke after the game.

“It was good these boys came around from overseas and try to possibly find their way into the team and we are going to sit down and evaluate them,” he concluded.

Sultan of Sokoto charges Golden Eaglets

His Eminence, Alhaji  Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar IV, the Sultan of Sokoto, has charged the  Golden Eaglets to ‘go and bring the African Under-17 Championship trophy’ as he prayed  for the team’s  successful outing at Niger 2015 holding in Niger between February 15 and March 1.

The national U-17 team, who are in Sokoto to finalise their preparation for the tournament, paid a courtesy call on the titular ruler of Sokoto in his palace on Monday at the behest of  Kogunan Sakwatto, Mallam Danladi Nasir Bako – the Sokoto’s state Commissioner for Information.

In the presence of some of his high-ranking palace chiefs, the Sultan who is a keen follower of soccer, advised the youngsters to be disciplined and focus on the assignment at hand in Niger in order to bring honour to the country.

“I’m very happy to receive on behalf of the hospitable people of Sokoto and I want to believe this is the first time some of you are coming to the palace,” the Sultan told his guest led by Coach Emmanuel Amuneke.

“In fact, this is the first time we are hosting a national team here at the palace and I’m particularly delighted to formally welcome all of you to the palace as this would afford you the opportunity to know that the Sultan is a human being like you.”

The Amirul Mumineen said he was thrilled  that the team dimmed it fit to pay him a courtesy call  and seek blessings before embarking on the trip to Niger  and counselled  they remained good ambassadors of the country. He further counselled officials to continue to play fatherly roles to the players who he warned ‘to obey without question.’

He added: “We want you to be good ambassadors of this country when you go to Niger and personally, I want you to go and bring the trophy again to Nigeria. But even as you do this, you must be disciplined and listen to your coaches because without discipline you cannot achieve much even as a footballer.”

The former military officer further counselled the players never to neglect their education and never to be carried away with the stardom of being footballers.

Both Coach Amuneke and Captain Kelechi Nwakali took turn to thank the Sultan and the palace chiefs for finding time out of their busy schedule to host and offered prayers on behalf of the team, promising to do everything humanly possible and in the true spirit of sportsmanship, to conquer the continent in Niger.

Nigeria’s Under-17 team, Golden Eaglets, will on Saturday tackle Sokoto United at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna.

The Nigeria National League side was drafted by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) following the late withdrawal of South Africa’s Amajimbos from an international friendly earlier scheduled for the same venue.

Officials said the match between the Golden Eaglets and Amajimbos was postponed at the instance of the South Africa Football Association (SAFA) due to logistical reasons contrary to insecurity as erroneously reported by a section of the media.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we want Nigerians to know that South Africa did not raise any security concerns about playing in Kaduna,” stated Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, NFF’s Director of Competitions. “They had issues with their travel arrangements and they duly exchange correspondence with us in that regard.”

Meanwhile, Coach Emmanuel Amuneke who led a team of 21 players and eight officials to Kaduna on Thursday ahead of the weekend’s fixture said he was happy to be in Kaduna again.

“We are always comfortable to play in any part of the country and during this campaign, we had played in Abeokuta, Calabar and we had two friendly matches against Egypt last year here in Kaduna,” said the former Barcelona star.

“Of course, we would have loved to play South Africa in preparation towards Niger 2015 but we are happy that there is another game for us against Sokoto United on Saturday,” he added.

The 21 players to Kaduna include inspirational captain Kelechi Nwakali along with striking trio of Victor Osimhen, Kehinde Ayinde and Ebere Osinachi. Others are goalkeeper Udoh Akpan, Ebuka Nwokeocha and Amos Benjamin. Also in the mix were new discoveries during recent open screening including former U-15 youth internationals like Abass Ibrahim, Mustapha Salisu and Suleiman Muhammed.

Golden Eaglets have already played and won three friendly matches this month at the NFF/FIFA Goal Project pitch in Abuja scoring some 20 goals.

The Golden Eaglets under the watch of Emmanuel Amuneke, 1994 African Footballer of the Year, is destined to go places at the 11th African Championship in Niger.

This much was the opinion of Alhaji Shehu Abdulkadir, the proprietor of Super Lion Football Academy after the Golden Eagles put his Suleja-based side to the swords in a 10-goal thriller mid week.

In a pulsating match at the NFF/FIFA Goal Project Pitch in Abuja on Wednesday, the Super Lion fell like a pack of cards as the Golden Eaglets turned on the style scoring some breathtaking goals.

“I’m highly impressed about the standard displayed by the national Under-17 team,” said Abdulkadir, the chair of Haidar Oil & Gas Nig. Ltd.” I forewarned my team that the least they can do is to contain the Golden Eaglets but I never knew they could  battered us like this.

“But despite the high-margin loss by my team, I’m so happy that the Golden Eaglets can put up such a wonderful performance and we shall be supporting them all the way in their coming competition in Niger,” he added.

Meanwhile, Super Lion’s coach Donald Owelijah equally admitted that the Golden Eaglets were technically superior against his side, praying for a rematch to turn the tide against the Niger 2015- side.

“Of course, I was disappointed with the way we lost but you cannot take anyway from the Golden Eaglets with the way they fought for every ball against us,” he said.

“I’m quite impressed with their penetrative passes and above all, these are young boys who played with little errors; I love their fresh faces.”

He commended the Golden Eaglets’ spirited efforts and tactical awareness, adding they would be hard to beat should they show such resilience at the forthcoming 11th African U-17 Championship to be hosted in Niamey between February 15 and March 1st.

Incidentally, Wednesday’s victory was Golden Eaglets’ 18 in 19 domestic friendly matches plus a goalless draw recorded against Anantigha Stars on July 12th, 2014 in Calabar. The Golden Eaglets would expectedly play more fine-tuning matches toward s their preparation for the continental cadet championship where they have been drawn in Group A against host Niger, Guinea and Zambia.

Nigeria’s U-17  team, Golden Eaglets notched yet another victory in domestic friendly matches on Wednesday’s morning with a flattering 9-1 score line against Super Lion Football Academy at the NFF/FIFA Goal Project pitch in Abuja.

Among the goals for Golden Eaglets were Victor Osimhen, Ebere Osinachi who grabbed a brace each as well as Suleiman Abdullahi, Samuel Chukwueze, Kelechi Nwakali and Kehinde Ayinde; Super Lions’ Moshood Aliu conceded an own goal while Omo’Oba Kasali got his team’s consolatory goal.

The friendly match against the Suleja-based team from Niger State was Golden Eaglets’ first in almost three months since their victory against Akpabuyo United in Calabar on September 20, 2014 but the Emmanuel Amuneke-led boys showed no sign of rustiness in a high-tempo match.

They were rewarded with the first goal in the 4th minute when Osimhen’s shot bounced off goalkeeper Segun Sunday for the curtain raiser. Lion’s responded swiftly and got the equaliser in the eight minute following a acrobatic volley by Kasali that beat Amos Benjamin.

But five minutes later, Abdullahi restored the Eaglets’ lead when he broke free from the off side trap to slot the ball behind on-rushing keeper Sunday. Fleet-footed Chukwueze grabbed the third goal in the 17th minutes after latching on to an incisive pass from new boy and former national Under-15 midfielder, Abass Ibrahim.

Meanwhile, Captain Nwakali came up with perhaps the best goal of the match with a well-struck free-kick on the edge of the Lion’s box twelve minutes later for Eaglets’ fourth goal. Yet three minutes later, under-pressured Lion’s captain Idowu conceded a cheeky own goal as he headed the ball straight into his own net off a pullout from Chukwueze while Osimhen got his second goal on the stroke of half time.

In the second half, Amuneke introduced his new recruits sourced from the recent open screening and they did acquaint themselves even against supposedly bigger opposition. Nevertheless, it was the more experienced striker, Ebere Osinachi who snatched a brace in the 70th and 72nd minute while his replacement, Kehinde Ayinde powered home a header off a precise pull out from former Under-15 midfielder, Feyi Asagidigbi to the delight of the watching spectators.

“Overall, this is a very good performance by the boys irrespective of the score line,” Amuneke said afterwards.  “We are very impressed with the marking ability of the team, their cohesion and calmness  against a very good side  because the Super Lion players are more experienced but for us, this is a good starting point and we would continue to work harder.”

The Golden Eaglets are fine-tuning their preparation ahead of the 11th African U-17 Championship to be hosted in Niamey between February 15 and March 1st where they are drawn in Group A against host Niger, Guinea and Zambia.

Determinedto put up good performance at CAN U-17  Championship, Niger 2015, the Golden Eaglets have shelved observing public holidays to continue with their training session at the NFF/FIFA Goal Project in Abuja.

All the national teams except the Golden Eaglets are presently on break but Emmanuel Amuneke, the Head Coach of the Nigeria’s U-17 team, said the players need to be fit in order to play at optimum level even as he commended his wards for sacrificing their comfort while others are on festive holiday.

“The only magic in football is fitness and not any fetish thing. Without fitness, we can’t win,” said Amuneke who clocks 44 today.” By the grace of God, we would train once on Thursday because we need to keep ourselves fit for the task ahead.”

Wednesday’s morning training saw the players being drilled physically including athleticism, abdominal exercises amongst others and would expectedly continue with same routine in the coming days.

“We are quite impressed with the response of the players but we are going to push them even harder,” explained Amuneke.” The players need to regain their fitness level because some are still rusty since we went on break after the qualification in September.

He adds:” For us to function well, we must be ready to work well because apart from your skill, you have to push yourselves very hard and that is why the likes of Messi and Ronaldo are still the best in the world.”

Speaking further, the team coordinator, Prince Udofia said it was important to continue with the training during the festive period:”I think no sacrifice is too small to be champions and we have to commend the players’ efforts in this regard.”

The Golden Eaglets were on Sunday drawn against the hosts, Niger in Group A along with Guinea and Zambia in Group A of the 11th African

U-17 Championship tagged Niger 2015 that would be held between February 15th and March 1st next year in Niamey.