Sports
SOME football enthusiasts have applauded the Flying Eagles on their victory over the tournament’s hosts at the ongoing FIFA U20 World Cup in Argentina.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria eliminated the host nation, Argentina with goals from Ibrahim Muhammad and Rilwanu Haliru Sarki to send the six-time champions out of the Round of 16 on Wednesday.
The victory took the Flying Eagles to the quarter-finals, where they will meet the winner of the Ecuador/South Korea Round of 16 to be decided on Thursday.
A cross section of football enthusiasts who spoke to NAN on Thursday, said the Flying Eagles had shown they were now the team to beat in the tournament.
Mouktar Mohammed, Chairman of the FCT Football Association (FA), said the victory against Argentina was a great one for the country and a thing of joy and pride for all Nigerians.
“Yes, it’s a very proud one to beat Argentina. They played very well to their strengths, you could see the determination from the players right from the blast of the whistle.
“To beat the host at home in their backyard with huge fan support and current senior World Champions is heart-warming for Nigerians.
“Now we remain focused and approach the next game with even more seriousness and humility.
“It’s still three steps away to the final so still a lot of work to do, but kudos to coach Ladan Bosso and the entire technical crew as well as the players,” he said.
Ahmed Shuaibu Gara-Gombe, a former chairman of Gombe State Football Association (FA), said the team put up a good showing, saying however that there was still room for improvement.
“As far as I am concerned, the team is gaining more confidence and improving with every game.
“So, I think as it is now, they need more games but still for me, this is not yet the kind of team that I want to see or one that Nigerians deserve.
“But I am sure that the coaches and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) are doing what they are supposed to do to encourage them.
“So, with the more games they play, the will become stronger and reaching the finals is not impossible.
Gara-Gomber praised the technical crew for their prowess and ability to read the game very well.
“If you look at the game against Argentina, they did not start well but when the substitutions started coming, the entire formation of the team tactically changed and their confidence improved.
“This shows that the technical team are really reading the game. So, I wish them well and expect that Nigeria will play in the final,” he said.
Adama Idris, a former Director of marketing and sponsorship at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), said beating two powerhouses in the tournament so far, was a show of supremacy.
Idris however advised the players not to get carried away by their performance so far, adding that there were still other battles and challenges ahead.
“Our team is not doing badly at all owing to the fact that, in the on-going tournament so far they have proved themselves by beating two great football nations, Italy and almighty Argentina 2-0 each.
“It is a show of supremacy, but I want to advise that it is not over until it is over. They must work on their level of concentrations, precision, pitch communication, team work, reflection against opponents.
“The coach must work on the midfield to up their attacking spirit, if this is done, then definitely we will reach the finals and even win the trophy.
“Secondly, the team psychologist needs to work on the boys very well. The coach did the right changes at the right time to kill the game in our favour.
“At this stage, we also need prayers for the boys. Their spiritual strength should be beefed up at the camp to get them religiously attached to victory,” he said.
Godwin Bamigboye, the Interim National Coordinator of the Association of Football Administrators in Nigeria (AFAN), said the victory had paved the way for the Eagles to go ahead and win the cup.
“I think by this victory, Nigeria have been able to conquer the tournament’s favourites, Argentina.
“By this I mean the hosts were the team that had been rated as the possible winners of the FIFA 2023 U20 World Cup going by their record and antecedents in the competition.
“The hosts were actually good and in the group stage, you know how they emerged with a 100 per cent winning record.
“So, many people did not give the Eagles any hope of going past the Round of 16, especially after they finished the group stages as one of the best losers.
“But they surprised the whole nation and the entire football world in the sense that the 2-0 defeat was emphatic,” he said.
Bamigboye said the team was getting better with each match.
He said that the victory somewhat atoned for Argentina’s 2-1 defeat of Nigeria in the final of the 2005 edition of the competition in the Netherlands.
“I can see a Flying Eagles team that is getting better with each match.
“I think they were complacent in their match against the Brazilians as they had already secured qualification to the Round of 16 at that point.
“The Brazilians were the hungrier of the two sides because they had to win at all cost to qualify and that was exactly what played out.
“Having made that mistake, I think the team stepped up their game against the Argentines.
“They saw the need to bring out all their weaponry in their Arsenal against the host that had the crowd advantage.
“The Flying Eagles also had the technical and tactical capacity and the players themselves were very determined to move on and that’s what they did,” he said.
He, however admonished the team not to allow the victory overwhelmed them, adding that they were a good team for the trophy.
Patrick Ngwaogu, a former FCT FA Vice Chairman and former Abia Warriors Sporting Director, said the Flying Eagles had proved some fans wrong with their performance so far.
“The performance of the Flying Eagles is unprecedented. The team has surprised many with the results they are getting.
“To be sincere, many Nigerians never gave them the opportunity to go this far. We congratulate them the more and advise them to work hard to get to the final.
“At this stage, it is now an open game, anything can happen as all the eight teams are potential winners.
“The Flying Eagles have what it takes to go all out.
“They are growing in confidence, and with the result of the match against Argentina, I think it will take a team with a strong will to eliminate the Nigerians.
“I am very confident that this team can break the assumed U20 world cup final jinx,” he said.
Mansur Abdullahi, a former assistant coach of the Under-17, Under-20 and Women Senior National teams said the Eagles have done wonderfully well so far.
“The resilience of the boys and brilliance of the technical crew is what has gotten the team to this very stage,” he said.
Abdullahi said that an average Nigerian football follower or stakeholder, never gave the team a chance of beating Argentina, especially after they lost to Brazil in the group stage.
“To me, their performance against the hosts was a great one as the boys really showed that they were ready to fight for themselves as well as defend their nation.
“The defence line was solid and superb as they did not concede a single goal against the Argentines.
“This shows that the coaches have worked on them after the game against Brazil,” he said.
He also advised the team to immediately keep the victory behind them now and focus on the next match.
“The Argentina game has come and gone, just like the Brazilian game.
“They have come to the business end of the competition now and it is all about seriousness and mental readiness.
“I wish them all the best of luck and it is possible for any team that gets to the quarter-finals to become the champion, that’s what it means.
“They should remain focused and play the next match with qualification to the semi-finals on their minds,” he said. (NAN)
T.S
Tags: Flying Eagles Ibrahim Muhammad Ladan Bosso Rilwanu Haliru Sarki
