2nd July, 2013
Chief Coach of the Flying Eagles of Nigeria, John Obuh has assured that his team would be ruthless against Uruguay’s U-20 team when both teams clash tonight in a Round of 16 World Youth Cup at the Turk Telekom Arena, Istanbul, Turkey.
The Flying Eagles have come under serious criticism in their group stage matches for failing to convert the goal-scoring chances that came their way but Obuh has promised that the team would be clinical in tonight’s clash.The Nigerian team have never defeated a South American team at the FIFA U-20 WYC and Uruguay will fancy keeping that tradition intact but Obuh reasons his wards are capable of defeating their opponents.
Having scored a total of six goals and conceded three, Obuh feels it is high time his wards converted all the goal chances that come their way tonight, while admitting that they have failed to hit the bull’s eye when it mattered most in their previous games.
According to Obuh: “We are going to approach tonight’s tie with a different mentality, we would make sure we convert all the goal scoring chances that come our way.”
The South Americans will be looking to emulate Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Venezuela, who have all inflicted defeats on Nigeria at different stages and editions of the Under-20 World Cup.
Nigeria’s record against their South American opponents have been alarming as they have managed just a draw in previous eight of such encounters. That draw was achieved in Holland in a 0-0 outcome against Brazil on June 12, 2005.
The Flying Eagles have also lost thrice to Brazil’s under-20s in 1983, 1985 and 1987.
In 1999 at the National Stadium in Lagos, Paraguay became the second South American team to beat Nigeria in a game they won 2-1.
Six years later, Lionel Messi’s double from the spot for Argentina stopped Nigeria from becoming champions of the 2005 edition. In Canada in 2007, Nigeria’s under-20s managed by Ladan Bosso suffered an extra time blip in the quarterfinal against Chile.
Within 24 minutes, Mauricio Isla’s brace and further goals from Jaime Grondona and Mathias Vidangossy ensured the Chileans won 4-0.
Venezuela were the last South American team to defeat Nigeria at the Under-20 World Cup inside the Al-Salam Stadium, Cairo in September 2009.
—Adebobola Alawode