Eaglets in dance of death with Switzerland

After three weeks of exciting football, the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup draws to a close today in Abuja with the final taking place at the National Stadium.

It is going to be a contest of wills; a battle of epic proportions given the calibre of the teams that have made it to the final. In Nigeria and Switzerland, we have a contest between power and athleticism on one hand and organisation and finesse on the other.

Nigeria's Golden Eaglets, defending champions in the event, have overcome initial diffidence, which saw them go three goals down to Germany before rallying to draw level in their opening group game of the tournament, to make it to their fourth final since their first triumph in 1985.

After that scare against Germany, the team, coached by John Obuh, waxed stronger as the tournament progressed and crowned it with an emphatic display of brute power with their clinical dismemberment of a talented Spanish side in the second semi-final match of the mundial played on Thursday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

The performance sent Lagos fans and others across the country into ecstasy. It was a commanding display, which left no one in doubt that they mean to pick up their fourth title in the U-17 tournament.

No looking back

Their handler, Obuh, says this ambition is a realistic one. Noting that lapses observed in the match against Spain would be corrected, he said: "We want support like we got against Spain. This is a young team that will go places and by the grace of God we will carry the day."

The Eaglets handler may be right in feeling so confident. After all, his wards have notched up 19 goals in six matches while letting in only six, half of which came in the match against Germany. However, if he feels that because of this, the Swiss are going to roll over for his boys to trample on them, then he clearly needs to think again.

Swiss threat

The boys from Switzerland have been the revelation of the tournament. As first timers, they were hardly expected to ruffle feathers. But they have done more than that. Playing in a group that included two former world champions, Brazil and Mexico, they signalled their intention of winning the trophy with a 2-0 defeat of Mexico in the opening game of the Lagos centre of the tournament, the Teslim Balogun Stadium. Further victories over Japan and Brazil, made them one of only two teams in the tournament to post a 100 per cent record in the group stage.

The Swiss, coached by Dany Ryser, play an entertaining brand of football, which they combine with serious organisation at the back with their strongest point being a quick counter attack. In Hassim Ben Khalifa and Haris Seferovich, who between them have accounted for nine goals, the Europeans have two deadly forwards that can stretch the Fortune Chukwudi-led Eaglets defence to the limit.

Emmanuel factor

While the Swiss have this deadly duo, Nigeria has a joker in Sani Emmanuel. The youngster, who plays club football for My People FC in Lagos, has carved a reputation for himself as a hit. Five goals in four matches, has put the lad, who has come from the substitute bench to score all his goals, in contention for the golden boot award. It is not clear whether Obuh will hand him a starting shirt against Switzerland today but, that notwithstanding, Emmanuel is looking forward to tasting action today.

He said after victory against Spain on Thursday: "I hope to be amongst the scorers when we win in the final."

Today's match is expected to draw Nigerian football fans in their thousands to cheer the Eaglets to victory.