27th July, 2010
Former Nigeria internationals, Samson Siasia and Austin Eguavoen, believe that the Flying Eagles have what it takes to defend the two goals advantage recorded over the Junior Syli Nationale of Guinea in the second leg of the African Youth Championship qualifier in Conakry.
Ojabu Omoh and Egbedi Omafe scored the Flying Eagles’ two goals in the match played at the Abuja National Stadium on Saturday.
Though the Coach John Obuh-tutored side did not show the doggedness and cohesion expected of a team that paraded most of the players that won the U-17 FIFA World Cup in Nigeria last year, Siasia and Eguavoen, who watched the match at the stadium, still have confidence in the team to scale the hurdles in the return leg.
“The Flying Eagles did not play badly. I still believe that they can go to Conakry to defend the two goals advantage.
“The players showed in the match that they can always get better if they play together. Don’t forget that this match was their competitive match after playing the invitational tourney in South Africa.
“My belief is that they will get their rhythms in the second leg,†said Eguavoen, the acting coach of the Super Eagles, who is preparing the Eagles for an international friendly match against South Korea in Seoul on 11 August, 2010.
To Siasia, the current coach of Heartland Football Club of Owerri, the Flying Eagles did a good job by not allowing the Guineans to score an away goal in the pulsating encounter watched by a scanty crowd that were less than 5,000 in a stadium that could contain at least 60,000 spectators.
“The team played very well except that they could have scored more than two goals. Anyway, what I’m happy for is that the Flying Eagles did not allow the Guineans scored an away goal.
“I don’t see the Nigerian team having problems in the second leg in Conakry. We have a convincing victory in Abuja and I think the team are good to defend these goals and grab the ticket for the AYC proper in Libya,†said Siasia.
—Taiwo Adelu