Sports
U-20 World Cup: Fans Caution Nigerians Against High Expectation
Football fans in Ebonyi have cautioned against high expectations from the Flying Eagles in spite of their 4-0 mauling of North Korea at the ongoing FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand.
The Tidesport source reports that the Eagles beat the Koreans yesterday to record its first win of the tournament after losing 2-4 to Brazil on Monday.
The fans in separate interviews yesterday in Abakaliki said though the Eagles performed better in the match, Nigerians should not put the team under undue pressure as the competition progress.
, a former Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Football Association (NFA), Chief Obinna Ogba congratulated the team on the victory, saying it would restore the team’s confidence.
Ogba, who is also a Senator-elect for Ebonyi Central Senatorial Zone, however, noted that the team had not attained its full potentials as some lapses were still noticed in their play.
“No one should assume that the team is now efficient because of the 4-0 win over the Koreans.
“This is because the Korean team which had earlier been beaten by Hungary 5-1 on Monday were not the sort of opposition to truly test the Eagles full abilities,” he said.
A Member of the Ebonyi House of AssemblyMr Chike Ogiji, said that the Eagles true test would be against Hungary in the last group match on Sunday.
Ogiji urged the Eagles not to allow the victory over the North Koreans to get into their heads but to prepare adequately for the Hungarian challenge.
“The coaches should critically review the matches against Brazil and North Korea to effectively map-out the appropriate players’ selection and tactics to ensure victory against Hungary,” he said.
former Enugu Rangers International defender, Vincent Okplaka, advised Coach Manu Garba to work on the team’s tactical discipline on the pitch.
“The players loose concentration easily thereby losing the ball incessantly to opponents as evidenced in the matches against Brazil and North Korea.
“This trend was first noticed during the African Youth Championship in Senegal where even the defenders toss the ball carelessly in their eighteen yard box losing possession in the process,” he said.
A Sports Psychologist, Dr Felix Onuoha said the lapses noticed in Eagles so far in the competition were due to the level of opponents it played during its training tour of Germany.
“The Eagles played U-23 teams of average German clubs such as Nuremberg, Freiburg and Hoffenheim.
“These teams did not provide the quality opposition needed by a world cup-bound team.
“The other countries engaged fellow national teams in its preparation but the Eagles were revelling in their 5-0 and 5-2 demolition of opponents that were in the real sense, part-time footballers,” he said.
A teacher, Mrs Nkechi Ibe,said Nigerians should celebrate the team’s victory, “as recording such emphatic win in a world cup was no fluke.
“The team needs encouragement and prayers as this win is the much needed tonic for it to bounce back to winning ways.
The championship will run from today to October 12 at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia. On the ground for the championship are athletes from Brazil, Peru, Egypt, Cameroon, Tunisia, Nigeria, Mauritius and Rwanda. They arrived on Sunday.
Some of the other countries were expected in the Abia State capital yesterday. Speaking on the championship, yesterday, Abia State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Nwobilor Ananaba, said the chief host, Governor Alex Otti, has mobilised facilities and the personnel to ensure a successful event.
Speaking through the Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, Raymond Chima Ukwa, said: “We have the best mats, playing mats, especially the wheelchair playing mats, which is the first of its kind in West Africa.
“If you go around, you’ll see the hall and the preparation that has been made to ensure that people have an equitable world-class playing field.” Thrilled by Governor Otti’s support for the competition, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) President, Francis Orbih, said that, besides making all the necessary arrangements that will ensure a successful hosting of the events, “we will have a Para-Badminton workshop for coaches and players.
“Nigeria is doing well, Abia is doing well, and we want to do better to improve on where we are, which is why all these have been put together by Governor Otti.”
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles began their campaign at the 24th FIFA U20 World Cup with a narrow 1–0 loss to Norway on Monday, despite creating several opportunities to level the game.
Norway took the lead in the 9th minute after being awarded a controversial penalty. The Flying Eagles pressed for an equaliser but were denied two penalty claims in the second half.
Kparobo Arierhi came close in the 47th minute when his shot drifted wide with the goalkeeper beaten, while Tahir Maigana struck the upright in the 63rd minute.
Nasiru Salihu’s rising effort in the 71st minute also went narrowly over the bar, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Seven minutes from time, Maigana again tested Norway with a long-range strike that went just wide as Nigeria continued to pile on the pressure.
Despite their dominance, the Flying Eagles could not find the breakthrough and now turn their attention to Thursday’s clash against Saudi Arabia in their second group match.
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