Golden Eaglets in training before their crucial round of 16 match against the junior Kiwis of New-Zealand. Photo: NAN

Eaglets set to swoop on New Zealand

By Ifeanyi Ibeh

Action continues today in the second round of the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup with the Golden Eaglets coming up against New Zealand at the National Stadium in Abuja with their sights - and talons - aimed at securing a resounding victory over the Young All Whites. Kickoff time is scheduled for 7pm.

An emphatic victory is definitely what fans of the Golden Eaglets expect against a New Zealand team whose qualification for this stage of the FIFA U-17 World Cup is something of a surprise, and who will definitely be playing without pressure as they have nothing to lose having been given no chance of making it out of the first round.

Pressure

The Golden Eaglets will, however, be under immense pressure to justify their firm favourites tag against the underdogs from New Zealand especially from a demanding Abuja crowd who are expected to fill up most of the terraces of the 60,000-seater stadium, and who will not be satisfied with a mere victory over a side that looks set to adopt a defensive approach.

Defending with astute tenacity while waiting to catch the opposition on the break has become customary of New Zealand so far in their Nigeria 2009 campaign but irrespective of his side’s underdog tag Coach Stephen Cain insists his lads won’t make things easy for the Golden Eaglets.

He told Fifa.com: “We can’t wait to take on Nigeria. My players will learn a lot from this occasion and, believe me; Nigeria won’t have an easy game. We won’t throw in the towel against anyone. We’re ready.” No matter how ready the New Zealanders will be and irrespective of how eager they will be to cause a memorable upset, they will surely have it at the back of their heads that their opponents in today’s encounter haven’t lost at the FIFA U-17 World Cup since suffering a 1-0 loss to Argentina at Finland 2003.

Side attractions

The winner of the match can, however, look forward to a quarter-final tie against the winner of the encounter between South Korea and Mexico, who get to lock horns a few hours earlier in Bauchi.

The Mexicans and the Koreans have both churned out a series of impressive displays in Nigeria 2009 and they are expected to continue that trend today at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium where fans will be expecting to catch a glimpse of two sides who have no problem keeping the ball on the ground, and who play a fast and interesting brand of football that’s pleasing to the eyes.

Also billed for today is the round of 16 clash between Spain and Burk ina Faso, scheduled to take place at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano, as well as the encounter between Iran and Uruguay, which comes up at the U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar.

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Reader Comments (16)

Posted by ovie dafe on Nov 05 2009

my comment is that you people just articles without telling us outside the shores of naija the time of the match.

Posted by Tope O on Nov 05 2009

PLs i will want Next to investigate the case of Abdulraseed Ajagun. He left Command Secondary school for Gumi COllege in 1998. He played shell cup in 1999. He still claims to be under 17.He was in SS2 when he left Command. was he 6 yrs old? Please let the country know the truth.

Posted by boyce samuels on Nov 05 2009

the outcome of today's game will tell if nigerian team stand a chance in this tournament; but i personally strongly believe that if the eaglets maintain the current form, they will definitely emerge victorious at the end of the day. finally, i wish them nothing but all the best.

Posted by sophag on Nov 05 2009

I am wishing our eaglets best and I'm strongly believe that if our eaglets stand up to their best, victory is sure for NIGERIA.

Posted by zumyil L. on Nov 05 2009

I wish the eaglets the best in today's match. They should wipe away our tears. D super eagles and flying eagles have caused Nigerians pains not to be interested in football again.

Posted by garba-bauchi on Nov 05 2009

I think we have some hope with the present crop of the U-17 players I just pray the inteligent ones who have shown creativity can be seen and picked for the future Eagles. Sani Emanuel needs to be told there is no attempt on goal thats done on luch. It must follow a lot of thinking. He missed 2 unpadonable chances in front of goal in our match against Argentina. We were lucky we survived.

Posted by Lord Ben on Nov 05 2009

There is nothing to celebrate or watch. This men are not under 17 so why are we celebrating lies. I think something is wrong with us. A real under 17 should be in secondary school or at most finished his secondary school a year ago. We have men that are playing premier leaque two/three seasons ago and we are calling them under 17.

Posted by Yinka on Nov 05 2009

@Lord Ben Point 1:"these men are not under 17" - I AGREE WITH YOU.MAYBE JUST A COUPLE OF THEM ARE,BUT MIND U,THAT'S NOT LIMITED TO THE NIGERIAN TEAM.YOU MAY TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT SOME OF THE PLAYERS FROM THE OTHER TEAMS,AND LISTEN TO THE COMMENTATORS WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT THEIR FOOTBALL CAREERS (ESPECIALLY THE BLACKS IN THE EUROPEAN AND S'AMERICAN TEAMS,SO U CAN COMPARE APPLES WITH APPLES) Point 2:"a real under 17 should be in secondary school or at most finished a year ago" - I TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH U.I DON'T KNOW WHAT PART OF NIGERIA U LIVE IN,BUT WHEREVER IT IS,U DON'T NEED TO LOOK FAR TO SEE HUNDREDS OF SCHOOL AGE BOYS WHO HAVE DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL TO EARN A LIVING.THERE ARE LOTS OF THEM PLAYING FOOTBALL UNDER THE BRIDGES IN LAGOS.DRIVE DOWN TO THE ISLAND ON A MONDAY MORNING WHEN SCHOOLS ARE IN SESSION,AND U'LL SEE LOTS OF THEM.I STILL SAW A SCHOOL AGE BOY WORKING AS A VULCANIZER DIS MORNING.WOULD U SAY HE'S NOT A REAL U-17 'COS HE'S NOT IN SCHOOL?CERTAINLY NOT. Eventhough this championship is seen as a school boy tournament in some quarters,the reality is that none of the participating teams came with school boys or fresh school leavers.They are all registered professional players.Like Mumini Alao once suggested,maybe FIFA should change the name of the tournament to Youths World Cup or something like that and remove the age tag,cos that's been grossly abused since the tournament began.

Posted by Hurrikane Andrew on Nov 05 2009

@Tope O, which of the Command Secondary Schools did the genius Ajagun attend? Hope it wasn't the one situated at the Ikeja Military Cantonment?

Posted by Nandi P. Bette on Nov 05 2009

At least one is following up the media analysis from two or three other countries whose teams are participating in this on-going tournament. The ages of their players have never formed a topic of discussion. Here in Nigeria, even after the FIFA age test thing which confirmed about fifteen former members fo the Golden Eaglets as being over-aged, and subsequently decamped, some disgruntled Nigerians are still not convinced about the ages of our players. These idle people posting these nauseating write-ups on the pages of this esteemed newspaper had better found something else to say, rather than cry over soured apples. Am sure the likes of Tope O, (if anyone goes by that name, anyway) are evnvious that some of these their friends are now becoming the attraction of the whole world. Shame, shame, shame! This is wishing the "Obuh Lads" a resounding trouncing of those New Zealand "Kiwis" this evening. God bless Nigeria!

Posted by Ben on Nov 05 2009

If you are outside Nigeria, and you have access to good broadband internet, watch the match live on FIFA Website Live feed - fifa2.feedroom OR http://fifa2.feedroom.com/

Posted by jemimahpaul@yahoo.com on Nov 05 2009

I PRAY FOR FOR GOLDEN EAGLEST TO WING NEWZEALAND 4-1 AND GOD ANSWER OUR PRAYER AMEN.

Posted by emmanuel ejike on Nov 05 2009

God grant them victory cos i no easy eehh,

Posted by edwardunuane on Nov 05 2009

why should n't some people leave nigeria alone by criticising our players by now look at the other country don 't they have people our we the only country that fielded strong face in this tonament

Posted by Oguntade Tosin @ Lekki on Nov 06 2009

Nigerians should learn to be patriotic even at this time that the eaglets are trying to redeem our images football wise. please lets support these boys because when the foundation is destroyed, what can the righteous do?

Posted by musantic@Lekki on Nov 06 2009

Nigerians, please let us start from the basis of football. Please can FIFA define the football age in response to Tope's comment? Is he climbing the tree from the top or what? Please let these boys clear our tears football wise. For goodness' sake let these boys get their own shares of the national cake. Keep quite all yee enemies of national progress. Boys, keep on beating the oyinbosssss.........