Nigeria: NFA Promises Adequate World Cup Preparation for Flying Eagles

Daily Independent (Lagos)

Peter Edema

2 May 2011

The Nigeria Football Assured will ensure that Flying Eagles is well-prepared for the bigger challenges of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, so says its President Aminu Maigari.

Maigari, speaking at the High Commission of Nigeria in Pretoria on Sunday night, hours after the team defeated Cameroon 3-2 to lift the African Youth Championship trophy in Johannesburg for the sixth time, said the NFA would do everything within its limited resources to prepare the team for global glory.

“We know the limits of our resources, but we are here and now assuring that within those limits, we would do everything to prepare the team for the greater challenges of the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

“This team has done the country proud and I am happy that all the money spent on preparing the team with tours of different countries and continents did not go to waste. We have achieved our aim, which was for the team to win the Cup”, said Maigari as he presented the AYC trophy to the Acting High Commissioner, Mr. Bassey Archibong.

Maigari however dedicated the trophy to President Goodluck Jonathan, on the premise of the president’s support for the team.

“I am happy to dedicate this trophy to President Goodluck Jonathan. We really can never thank the President and his Government enough, for all the support and encouragement they have always given to the NFA.

“This was a hard-won tournament. But we had the support of the Government at all times and it kept us going. I have to sincerely appreciate the players the technical crew for the wonderful job they have done. Nigerians are proud of them.

“Gradually but steadily, we are focusing firmly on our roadmap. There have been contrived controversies and crises that have made things difficult for this administration since inception, but I believe that we are beginning to prove our critics wrong, we will take Nigerian football to higher heights”, said Maigari.

Olanrewaju Kayode opened the account for Nigeria with a quarter of an hour to go in regulation time, blasting into the roof of the net after escaping his marker, and then was brought down 10 minutes to the end for Uche Nwofor to step up and convert a penalty that earned him the tournament’s Top Scorer award.

But the Cub Lions roared back strongly, scoring through Franck Ohandza as the Nigeria defence was caught napping in the 82nd minute. With five minutes left on the clock, the delectable Edgar Salli capitalized on defensive error to slice past brilliant Danjuma Paul in goal for Nigeria. Salli was picked as Player of the Tournament.

However, with only one minute on the clock in extra time, substitute Terry Envoh waltzed his way through the Cameroonian defence and slotted the ball past goalkeeper and skipper Jean Efala. There were no more goals and the trophy was handed to Skipper Ramon Azeez by CAF Executive Committee Member, Almamy Kabele Camara.

Team gets heroic welcome

Victorious Flying Eagles players arrived the country from South Africa on Monday to a heroic welcome at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport.

At the airport to receive the players who won the African Youth Championship (AYC) for a record sixth time in South Africa on Sunday after defeating Cameroon 3-2 in the final was the the Sports Minister and Chairman National Sports Commission (NSC), Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, Nigeria Football Association (NFA) first vice chairman, Mike Umeh, its technical committee chairman, Chris Green, among other dignitaries. There was also a band of the Nigeria Supporters club to welcome the players.

Adedoja expressed the president’s appreciation top the players for doing the country proud in South Africa, no just wiining the trophy but with the high degree of discipline exhibited by the players.

He named the trophy Goodluck Cup, even as he charged the players not to rest on their oars until they win the FIFA U-20 World cup in colombia later in the year.

He commended the boys for keeping to their promise to President Goodluck Jonathan of winning the Champion to commemorate his election as president of the federal Republic of Nigeria

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