Golden Eaglets Dazzle At Pepsi Tourney

The coach of Liberty Professional FC of Ghana, George Lamptey, has declared that the Golden Eaglets’ soccer artistry so far at the ongoing Pepsi Academy Football International Tournament in Abeokuta is enough to give them victory.

The Ghanaian coach, who described the U-17 players as “young beautiful players”, urged the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) to ensure that the players were kept together and groomed into the U-20 national team.

“I have not seen any team that can match the boys’ (Eaglets) performance in this tournament and I must say kudos to their coach.

“Even though they are small in stature, they have been able to do what the big ones cannot do. I see them as tomorrow’s team for Nigeria,” he told newsmen in Abeokuta yesterday.

Lamptey, a pioneer player of Abiola Babes FC Abeokuta, said that if the boys were given the deserved attention and training, they would boost the country’s football.

On Monday, the Eaglets defeated the Liberty Professionals 1-0 in a match described by spectators as interesting. Aliu Aliu scored the only goal of the match in the 10th minute.

The Eaglets had in their Group B opening match on Sunday defeated Pepsi Football Academy II 3-2.

Eaglets coach Danladi Nasidi, expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance and attributed their victory to sheer determination.

He added that his boys won because they played to instruction and promised that their next match would be an “outright win”.

“They won the match because they were determined. The Ghanaians are older and bigger and more exposed but we won because we were determined,” he said.

In Group A, Riverlane FC of Enugu drew 2-2 with Pepsi Football Academy I with Seka Paul scoring an own goal in the 18th minute.

Earlier, Sia One FC of Abuja defeated Dimension de Formation of Benin 3-1 with Onoriode Esejabor, opening scoring for Sia One.

Sesugh Dennis scored a brace in the 40th and 59th minute to put the match beyond the Republic of Benin side. PFA I and BRF of Lagos drew 1-1 with Ajidahun Adebayo scoring in the 70th minute, while Ikechukwu Nwankwo of BRF equalised in the 55th minute.

The competition continued yesterday with an official opening ceremony of the tourney at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta and the Abeokuta Grammar School pitch.