It is no longer news that the Golden Eaglets who are participating in the on-going 13th FIFA Under –17 World Cup have suddenly become the team of the moment even as they are the talk of the football lovers.
Before the championship, many soccer followers never favoured them in their opinion as to whether they will reach today’s quarter final.
Infact, after their first game against the Germans in which they pulled a 3-3 draw, fans were still very skeptical about whether they posses the potentials to get to this stage.
Indeed! a lot of enthusiasts have reposed full confidence in the Coach John Obuh managed team to the extent that they believe they can go all the way to the final of the tournament.
The Golden Eaglets still have three matches beginning from today’s game with the Koreans to prove cynics wrong.
For any good and matured football lover it is still early to pass judgement as to whether they will eventually lift the trophy.
A popular slogan says ‘it is not over until it is over’ It becomes imperative that one cannot hatch one’s chicken before they do so.
In essence, football as a game is not a product of imagination! One cannot imagine victory until a particular match is successfully prosecuted by the Eaglets in this tournament.
The Nigerian Under-17 lads must continue to improve in each match, ensure they outclass and win their opponents in the process.
Football is never won by mere words of mouth. It is usually a war involving eleven players and another eleven footballers.
It is the side that is able to interpret the instructions of the coach that wins. So, the Obuh’s wards must live up to expectations in all their matches if they want to surpass the quarter final stage.
The pertinent question is whether the Eaglets can really cross the three hurdles to final.
The only way the Nigerian side can justify their contention in the tourney is to do their utmost to retain the title they won last two years in South Korea.
Yes! They must defend their crown vehemently now! They must shine like the million stars and stun the soccer world.
Meanwhile, the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria plays a crucial quarter final game with South Korea today at the U.J Ezuene Stadium, Calabar.
The Eaglets have played four matches in the current FIFA Under-17 championship so far in which they have triumphed in three of the four matches.
The Nigerian soccer lovers expects that the Eaglets should go all the way to the final of the tournament.
But they face an arduous task against the Asians (South Korea).
The Koreans are noted for their high tactical approach which has to do with fast, free flowing game coupled with fast break or quick counter attack.
Coach John Obuh must ask his boys to watch the sleeky and dangerous Koreans who are likely going to adopt a tricky match plans in a determined bid to surprise the Nigerian team.
The Asians have put up scintillating performance in their matches in the tournament and they will give Nigeria a very tough fight to justify this assertion in like Nigeria that have good pedigree in the tournament, the Koreans haven’t any yet except for the fact that they will want to surpass today’s quarter final battle.
That the Eaglets walloped New Zealand in the second round match last Thursday should be used as yard stick to make them over confident that they will beat the Asian easily.
The Eaglets must be tactically disciplined and use their chances as much as they can to get early goals and nail their loquacious opponents.
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