Sports
Eaglets Pipes New Zealand …Pick Q/Final Ticket
Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets yesterday at the National Stadium, Abuja secured a quarter final ticket at the on-going Under -17 World Cup after they white –washed New Zealand by 5-0.
Edafe Edgbedi’s 14th minute goal gave the Eaglets the lead after the attacker sold a dummy to the New Zealand defence before taking a sliced left foot shot to the keepers extreme right.
The assured underdogs raised their game and mounted pressure seeking an equalizer, but they could not , as the Eaglets snatched the game off them and piled more pressure, resulting in a 24th minute goal scored by Stanley Okoro, before Edgbedi scored his brace in the 28th minute to go in the break three goals up.
On resumption in the second half, the Eaglets became more aggressive and played a more purposeful football.
They maintained their dominance of the beginning of the second stanza, following which substitute Sani Emmanuel scored his own brace in the 75th and 79th minute.
All through the game, the Europeans fought like wounded lions to at least have a consolation goal, but to no avail.
The fact that they were one man down from the 35th minute did not help matters either.
The centre referee had given a straight red card to Cameron Lindsay for attacking Okoro from behind.
By the end of the game, the Eaglets shone like a million stars contrary to pre-match insinuation that given their inability to find the net during the group stage, New Zealand could be a stumbling block to the team retaining the title they won two years ago in South Korea.
With this outstanding win, Nigerians seem unanimous that perhaps the Eaglets may be the first team to retain the trophy back –to-back since its inception in 1985 which the Eaglets won.
Tonye Orabere
Vice president of the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC), Chief Solomon Ogba, foremost Sports Marketer and founder of Okpekpe Road Race, Mike Itemuagbor and top Sports Journalist and Media Strategist, Mitchel Obi have lent their voices in support of the Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF).
The personalities with backgrounds in sports administration, marketing and media spoke separately in commendation of the festival, an initiative of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with Dunamis Icon as consultants.
“This is a positive addition to the evolving sports business ecosystem because it is not just a springboard for identifying talents, it also offers a platform to truly hone the skills of those already discovered”, remarked Obi, who served as Special Advisor to a former Sports Minister, late Anthony Ikhazabor.
He said the festival will be a flagship event in the region that would trigger interest in sports among the youths and people of the region.
Edo State-born Itemuagbor commended the NDDC for the decision to add sports in the list of their intervention projects in the region, adding that: “This speaks directly to the problem of youth restiveness which is of great concern to our people.”
Raphael Onyedika has now emerged as a major doubt for the Super Eagles’ must-win 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe later this month.
The midfielder was forced out early from last week’s league game against Standard Liege.
He has not recovered from the injury and so will miss today’s league match against Gent and may also miss a UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash against Aston Villa yesterday.
The Super Eagles take on Rwanda in Kigali on March 21, before they face Zimbabwe in Uyo four days later in crucial World Cup qualifiers.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Al-Khalood defender, William Troost-Ekong, has shared his experience on the difficulties of winning the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) while describing it a must win trophy.
The former Watford FC defender has competed in the tournament three times but has yet to lift the trophy.
“I’ve been there three times now, bronze medal, silver medal, but I haven’t had the chance to win it. That remains my ultimate goal,” he told Tidesports source.
“It means so much to me and all the kids growing up in Africa and Nigeria.”
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