Manu plays down Eaglets big win
Chidera Eze scored again for Eaglets in Niger
Eaglets dump hosts Niger
Coach Manu Garba has played down the Eaglets
4-1 thrashing of Niger, insisting his team still have a long way to go.
The Nigeria U17s trounced hosts Niger in Niamey in a first leg African Junior Championship qualifier to stay on track for the biennial tournament for the first time since 2007.
“We are grateful to God for this victory because this is the first time in a long while that a Nigerian team would win here in Niamey and we are grateful that we were able to achieve this, but we don’t have an ideal team yet,” an elated Garba said after the game.
“We want a flawless team and we are going back home to prepare for the second leg as if it is a cup final for us.”
The Golden Eaglets on Saturday at the Stade General Seyni Kountché in Niamey began their 2013 African Junior Championship campaign on a convincing note.
The hosts still revelling in the joy of winning the Airtel Rising Star Championship in Nairobi last month, where they drew 1-1 with a Nigerian selected side, did not bargain for what they got from the boys under the guidance of coach Manu as Golden Eaglets dominated throughout the match.
Nigeria paraded the same team who beat Junior Wasps of Rwanda 5-0 in an international friendly last weekend in Calabar and the chemistry in the team was there for all to see right from the blast of the whistle of Malian referee Mahamadou Keita.
Bean-pole attacking midfielder Alhassan Ibrahim was an instant threat to the Nigeriens. As early as the third minute, he evaded his shadows and his shot was spilled by Awale Mohammed in goal for the Junior Mena for lurking Isaac Success to guide the ball into the net. The goal was eventually credited to Ibrahim.
Ibrahim was back in the hunt 10 minutes later and thanks to the guiles of all-action striker, Success, who cleverly dropped the ball in his path to shoot the Eaglets into a 2-0 lead.
The Eaglets further piled more pressure on the hosts and could have scored more goals before the end of the first half but for tough luck especially on the part of gifted striker Kelechi Iheanacho, who missed some begging chances.
Iheanacho finally made good his boast to score against Niger when after collecting a ‘pocket pass’ from Ibrahim in the 50th minute, he dribbled through the Junior Mena defence before driving an angular shot for the Eaglets third goal.
He was pulled out immediately for Musa Yahaya, who could have added his name on the scorers’ sheet but was denied by the opposing goalkeeper.
The home team stepped up their game thereafter and eventually got a cheeky penalty that was scored by Souleyman Issa in the 82nd minute.
The local fans thought there was hope for their team, but it was the Golden Eaglets who finally had the last word when second-half substitute and hat-trick hero against Rwanda at the weekend in Calabar, Chidera Eze, latched onto a through pass from Success, beat the offside trap to dribble on-rushing goalkeeper Mohammed for the Eaglets fourth in the 85th minute.
The Nigeria U17s trounced hosts Niger in Niamey in a first leg African Junior Championship qualifier to stay on track for the biennial tournament for the first time since 2007.
“We are grateful to God for this victory because this is the first time in a long while that a Nigerian team would win here in Niamey and we are grateful that we were able to achieve this, but we don’t have an ideal team yet,” an elated Garba said after the game.
“We want a flawless team and we are going back home to prepare for the second leg as if it is a cup final for us.”
The Golden Eaglets on Saturday at the Stade General Seyni Kountché in Niamey began their 2013 African Junior Championship campaign on a convincing note.
The hosts still revelling in the joy of winning the Airtel Rising Star Championship in Nairobi last month, where they drew 1-1 with a Nigerian selected side, did not bargain for what they got from the boys under the guidance of coach Manu as Golden Eaglets dominated throughout the match.
Nigeria paraded the same team who beat Junior Wasps of Rwanda 5-0 in an international friendly last weekend in Calabar and the chemistry in the team was there for all to see right from the blast of the whistle of Malian referee Mahamadou Keita.
Bean-pole attacking midfielder Alhassan Ibrahim was an instant threat to the Nigeriens. As early as the third minute, he evaded his shadows and his shot was spilled by Awale Mohammed in goal for the Junior Mena for lurking Isaac Success to guide the ball into the net. The goal was eventually credited to Ibrahim.
Ibrahim was back in the hunt 10 minutes later and thanks to the guiles of all-action striker, Success, who cleverly dropped the ball in his path to shoot the Eaglets into a 2-0 lead.
The Eaglets further piled more pressure on the hosts and could have scored more goals before the end of the first half but for tough luck especially on the part of gifted striker Kelechi Iheanacho, who missed some begging chances.
Iheanacho finally made good his boast to score against Niger when after collecting a ‘pocket pass’ from Ibrahim in the 50th minute, he dribbled through the Junior Mena defence before driving an angular shot for the Eaglets third goal.
He was pulled out immediately for Musa Yahaya, who could have added his name on the scorers’ sheet but was denied by the opposing goalkeeper.
The home team stepped up their game thereafter and eventually got a cheeky penalty that was scored by Souleyman Issa in the 82nd minute.
The local fans thought there was hope for their team, but it was the Golden Eaglets who finally had the last word when second-half substitute and hat-trick hero against Rwanda at the weekend in Calabar, Chidera Eze, latched onto a through pass from Success, beat the offside trap to dribble on-rushing goalkeeper Mohammed for the Eaglets fourth in the 85th minute.
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