IT HAS BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL YEAR FOR NIGERIA IN FOOTBALL...HAS THE PREZ A HAND IN IT THAT WE DON'T KNOW?

Nigeria win Under-17 World Cup

Nigeria won the Under-17 World Cup for a record fourth time on Friday with a 3-0 win over champions Mexico.

Erick Aguirre's own goal put the Golden Eaglets in front in Abu Dhabi.

The Nigerians doubled their lead with a tap in from Kelechi Iheanacho before captain Musa Mohamed's free kick sealed the win.

Nigeria also picked up the tournament's fair-play award and Dele Alampasu was awarded the Golden Glove for being the best goalkeeper.

Nigeria's record in UAE

• Played: 7


• Won: 6


• Drew: 1


• Lost: 0


• Goals For: 26


• Goals Against: 5

The first goal came after nine minutes from a Nigerian counter-attack moments after the Mexicans had threatened at the other end.

The Golden Eaglets broke quickly to create a three-against-one situation, and as Musa Yahaya was about to pull the trigger, Aguirre's attempted clearance ended up in his own net.

Yahaya nearly doubled the lead in the 39th minute but his shot crashed against the bar.

Moments later, Taiwo Awoniyi tried a spectacular overhead kick but it went straight into the arms Raul Gudino in the Mexican goal.

Nigeria record at U17 World Cup

• Winners: 1985, 1993, 2007, 2013


• Runners-up: 1987, 2001, 2009

Mexico threatened the Nigerian goal a couple of times in the first half but found Alampasu in inspired form.

The Mexicans pressed early in the second half but it was Nigeria who doubled their lead when Gudino parried a long range shot into the path of Kelechi Iheanacho, who tapped in for his sixth goal of the tournament.

With 15 minutes left on the clock, the Mexicans had a great chance to score but Ivan Ochoa headed wide.

The title was sealed when captain Mohamed curled a free kick round the wall from the edge of the area with nine minutes left.

The victory in the United Arab Emirates caps a successful year for Nigeria after the senior team won the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa in January.

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GOLDEN EAGLETS, CAMPED IN CALABAR FOR LONG,HAVE SHOWN THAT HARD WORK PAYS.

Golden Eaglets conquered the world

Nigeria Golden Eaglets became the most successful team in FIFA U-17 World Cup history with a 3-0 win over holders Mexico at the Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

The final was a rematch of the 6-1 win Nigeria inflicted on the Mexicans in Group F play and sees the Golden Eaglets lay hands on the junior world trophy for the fourth time in their history, one better than South American giants Brazil. When the final whistle went in the UAE capital, fans and players alike rejoiced, fingers pointed to the sky, with what has become the traditional Nigerian celebration of: “yes, yes yes!”


Mexico kept the ball for a full two minutes at the start of the game, moving it around well and making the Nigerians chase. El Tri even managed the first chance on goal after six minutes. Osvaldo Rodriguez crossed from the left, but Alejandro Diaz couldn’t keep his close-range effort the right side of the post. Two minutes on and Ivan Ochoa – who scored twice in the semi-final win over Argentina – saw his off-balance header pushed over the bar by Dele Alampasu.

The corner came to nothing for the Mexicans, but Nigeria benefitted greatly by bursting out on a classic counter-attack. Kelechi Iheanacho went flying up the pitch. With just one Mexican defender in position, the No10 Golden Eaglet laid the ball in for Taiwo Awoniyi who then fed it on to Musa Yahaha, who had a little help from Erick Aguirre. The Mexican midfielder mistakenly hit the ball into his own net in an attempt to recover.

With the score 1-0, Musa Muhammed was giving the Mexicans fits with his rampaging runs up the right side. He pinned the opponents back at every opportunity. As the first half pushed toward the interval, the Africans upped their tempo in search of a second goal. Yahaya rattled the crossbar with a stunning effort from 20 yards out after 38 minutes. Pressure was mounting and the fans in the stands were on their feet when Awoniyi’s bicycle-kick from the penalty spot forced Raul Gudino into a magnificent reaction save in the dying moments of the half.

The second period began with a frenzy of attacks at both ends of the pitch, but it was Nigeria who made theirs count, making it 2-0 in the 56th minute. Captain Muhammed unleashed a wicked swirling shot that Mexican keeper Gudino simply couldn’t hang on to. He spilled a rebound directly to the feet of the most dangerous man on the pitch, and Iheanacho made no mistake dispatching his sixth goal of the tournament.

With a quarter-hour to go, Mexico managed to carve out a rare second-half chance, but Ochoa’s header from close-range slipped wide of the post as the holders began to wilt under the ceaseless pressure of the buzzing Nigerians. Muhammed added a third with ten minutes to go, curling a sublime free-kick into the top corner.

Anyone in UAE who had the pleasure to see them will tell you that this Nigerian team were the best on offer. Even a few of the Mexican fans were mumbling “yes, yes, yes” when the final whistle went on Nigeria’s glorious campaign here in UAE

 

UNDER-17 WORLD CUP...THE NEXT MATCH AGAINST MEXICO COULD BE ROPE-A-DOPE FOR EAGLETS!... WHAT MUST THEY DO TO REMAIN GOLDEN?

Eaglets’ll be turbo-charged against Mexico

Coach Manu Garba said yesterday  that the Golden Eaglets will be turbo-charged to defeat Mexico in Friday’s final of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Abu Dhabi.

Garba last night saw his charges steam-roll their way to the final of the tournament, with a comprehensive 3-0 bashing of Sweden at the Rashid Stadium in Dubau and speaking at the post-match conference, a jubilant coach said he was in seventh heaven to see his troops damage their Scandinavians, who he praised for reaching this stage of the tournament.



DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – NOVEMBER 05: Head coach Manu Garba celebrates after the FIFA U-17 World Cup UAE 2013 Semi Final match between Sweden and Nigeria at Al Rashid Stadium on November 5, 2013 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by FIFA)

While also hailing Mexico for reaching the final after suffering a 6-0 opening defeat against the Eaglets, Garba said he was confident that his troops would make it a double against the North American side, who have ousted Brazil and Uruguay to reach the summit.

“Sweden tried  but we showed our quality. I commend my players for achieving this victory and hope for a similar performance against Mexico, who I commend for getting to this stage.

They have done well and earned their place in the final but my team are turbo-charged for
the final.

“We have come this far, playing well and it is time for God to crown our efforts with the Cup on Friday.”

VANGUARD