The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has commended the national U-17 team, the Golden Eaglets, for earning a place at the FIFA U-17 World Cup finals taking place in Chile later in the year.
NFF president, Amaju Pinnick declared on Wednesday night that the 0-1 semi-final loss to the Amajimbos of South Africa at the ongoing African U-17 Championship in Niger Republic has not diminished the value of the Eaglets’ accomplishment.
“Certainly, every Nigerian yearned for the Eaglets to win the African championship trophy in Niger Republic after the boys reached the semi-final. They lost by a lone goal but we cannot accuse the players of lack of effort.
“The present NFF administration has continued to harp on the fact that it is not only concerned with winning trophies. We want to win trophies, but more than that, we want to build a sustainable football culture.”
Pinnick assured that the boys will not be treated like outcasts following the failure to reach the Championship final.
“The NFF will send a jet to pick the players after the third place match on Sunday. The technical crew remains intact and the NFF will give support to them to plug the necessary holes in the team so that we will have a squad capable of doing the nation proud in Chile.”
He also noted that Cup holders Cote d’Ivoire were eliminated in the group phase of the championship in Niger Republic.
The loser of the match between the young Syli Nationale of Guinea and the young Eagles of Mali in Thursday's semi-final duel will face the Golden Eaglets in a third place match prior to the final billed for Sunday in Niamey..
Meanwhile, Khanyiso Mayo, the son of former Bafana Bafana player Patrick Mayo, scored the only goal for the young South Africans in the 26th minute
Caption: Captain Kelechi Nwakali (left) and coach Emmanuel Amuneke during the post-match conference after the game against South Africa.
MANAGER Tony Pulis was full of praises for the super substitute Brown Ideye as his superlative performance gave West Bromwich a deserved 2-2 draw at Burnley.
The embattled Nigerian striker has been struggling to find the back of the net since his £10m record signing move to the Baggies in the last summer.
He was only on target in a English Premier League game in his team's 1-3 loss to Manchester City at Etihad on December 26 before Sunday's all important goal which saw his team come from behind to pick a point.
"We've hoping Browny (Ideye) can keep scoring. We have Saido, Brownie and Victor -
they're our strikers, so we hope they can help us. Brownie hasn't played badly, he's just missed opportunities and with goalscorers - especially when you pay that much money - you expect to score, so hopefully that will help his confidence because he's a good lad." said Pulis on the club's website.
Ideye, who came on to replace Chris Baird in the 67th minute of the game produced a stunning header to deny the
homers of victory after a two-goal lead after just over half an hour
through Ashley Barnes and Danny Ings.
Chris Brunt had pulled a goal back for West Brom in first-half stoppage time with a header before Ideye secured the leveller also through a header.
The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winner while expressing joy at the result at Turf Moore through his twitter handle ideye Brown MON@officialideye said: "Difficult game today but thank God we came back strong, great job from all the lads. hard work continues, Great God".
The former Spartak Moscow forward in all has scored three goals for The Midlands with the League Cup strike in September last year as the first in his team's victory over Hull City.
Caption: Ideye.
NIGERIA'S Flying Eagles on Sunday at the National Stadium, Abuja, finished the Super 6 pre-season tournament organised by the Nigeria Premier League unbeaten in five games.
The U-20 side had prior to the match won the tournament with 12 points having won all its previous four games.
The Manu Garba-piloted side however, on Sunday forced the Dream Team to a 3-3 draw to end the competition in grand style with 13 points.
Prince Aggreh ignited the six-goal thriller as he put the Flying Eagles ahead in the 28th minute when he clinically connected a cross from Taiwo Awoniyi.
Four minutes later, substitute Peter Onyekachi fired home a left-footer off Godwin Saviour's effort for the equaliser, while Oghenekaro Etebor converted a spot kick before half time to shoot the Dream Team ahead.
The Flying Eagles on resumption drew level in the 54th minute through Bernard Bulbwa with a half volley, but Etebo put the Dream Team back on course when he scored his second goal in the 66th minute.
Chidera Eze saved what would have been the Flying Eagles' first defeat in the competition as his glancing header in the 74th minute off Musa Muhammed's cross completed the six-goal thriller.
The Dream Team with the result finished second on the table with nine points as Kano Pillars who also on Sunday defeated Enyimba 1-0 placed third with seven points.
The reigning Nigeria Premier League champions had Christian Obiozor to thank after he headed home Tony Edjomariegwe's cross in the 40th minute.
Enyimba finished with six points as well as Warri Wolves who also secured a 2-1 win over Dolphins FC.
The Garden city side coached by Stanley Eguma lost all its games in the competition, a development the tactician attributed to the exit of some of the key players from his camp..
"We lost some key players at the end of last season and Christian (Pyagbara) is one of those that we brought in," Eguma said.
The former Heartland coach however, said he is not losing sleep over the performance of his team in the pre-season tourney.
"I'm not excessively worried by our performances. We are using this tournament as a test-run and we were not at full strength," he said.
Dolphins will represent Nigeria in this year's CAF Confederation Cup.
Caption: Chidera Eze, his goal saved the Flying Eagles from defeat.
