Nigeria’s Sports Minister with the Golden Eaglets and officials
The final match of the 2013 UAE World Cup between three-time champions, Nigeria and defending champions, Mexico on Friday in Abu Dhabi would be a game of wits.
This much was the verdict of Coach Manu Garba, Golden Eaglets’ Head coach after Nigeria handed a 3-0 defeat to Sweden at the Rashid Stadium in Dubai on Tuesday in the semi-final.
Goals by Taiwo Awoniyi, Samuel Okon and Chidera Ezeh were enough to break the resolve of a resilient Swedish side that earlier played a 3-3 draw with Nigeria in their Group F match.
“I still maintained that the Mexican team are a very technical team and we can see their resilience by coming from a 6-1 loss to us (Nigeria) and still be in the final,” Manu said at the post-match media conference.
Manu said the Golden Eaglets are now turbo-charged after a commanding performance throughout the tournament where they have won all their previous matches bar the 3-3 draw against Sweden in the Preliminary Round.
“We showed today that we are w very strong side,” maintained Manu, a World Cup winner as an assistant coach in 2007.” We are not going to be on any pressure against Mexico in the final because we would prepare mentally, physically and psychologically for the final.
“The Mexican team I maintained are at very technical team and I believe the final is going to be a great one but by the grace of God, we shall win this trophy for Nigeria and Africa,” he noted.
In a related matter, striker Chidera Ezeh who finally broke his duck by scoring the last goal of the match, said the victory against Sweden has boost their confidence,
“We beat a very good side today and I’m so happy that I have finally scored a goal,” said Ezeh, who last scored for Golden Eaglets in 2012.
“I’m so relieved that I have finally had a goal and I believe there could still be many more for me in the final. I’m dedicating the goal against Sweden to my mum and my fans back home in Nigeria and I’m really looking forward to scoring against Mexico in the final,” he said.
Abdullahi: Golden Eaglets Dear to My Heart
Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi, the Honourable Sports Minister and Chairman National Sports Commission (NSC) has predicted a bright future for the Golden Eaglets and indeed Nigerian football, describing the national Under-17 team as ‘a project dear to my heart.’
Speaking with the team in company of Alhaji Aminu Maigari, the NFF’s President barely hours after arriving Dubai ahead of their 3-0 semi-final victory over Sweden, the Minister said the players have shown in the course of time that they would go places if they remained disciplined.
“I took so much pride in this team since the first day you started assembling the players last year and I’m so happy about what you have collectively achieved,” he said.”Everybody has been saying it that you are the future of Nigerian football and you have proved it with your performance here.”
The Minister maintained that the Golden Eaglets are indeed hope bearers while giving special commendation to the team’s technical crew.
“I want to thank the coaching crew led by Manu Garba for being able to put together this team because we can see that a lot of hard work has gone into this team.” He explained. “You are lucky to have this array of coaches working with you but you must maintain good conduct and discipline to fulfil your potentialities.”
Going forward, the minister enjoined the Golden Eaglets to fight their way through to be crowned world champions as did their predecessors who won in 1985, 1993 and 2007.
He stated matter-of-factly:” In time to come, nobody would remember there was one Bolaji Abdullahi who was sports minister. But you would write your names in the annals of Nigerian history like Nduka Ugbade whom people still talk about today despite winning this trophy in 1985; so just go out there and do your best.”
He said he was in the UAE to lend his fatherly support to the team’s bid to emerge world champions and has therefore pledged to double the team’s winning allowance for both the semis and final matches.
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