Leadership (Abuja)
Salifu Usman
27 October 2009
Abuja — Nigeria's Under-17 national team, the Golden Eaglets, will today trade tackles with their Honduran opponents at the National Stadium, Abuja, in the ongoing FIFA cadet championship tagged Nigeria 2009.
Host and defending champions, the Golden Eaglets will be going into today's match with high hopes after coming back from a three-goal deficit to draw with Germany in their opening match last Saturday.
Nigeria's side looked dead and buried after German score d their third goal in early minutes of the second half. But the young Eaglets remarkably came back into the game to score three goals within a space of seven minutes to end the game at 3-3 and salvaged a point from the game.
Coach John Obuh and his boys are carrying the hopes of millions of Nigerians to win the trophy after their unimpressive showing of the other national teams in recent times, especially the Flying Eagles poor performance at the recently concluded FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt.
While the Central American side may have kick-started their Group A campaign with a 1-0 loss to Argentina, their individual skills and team spirit caused the South American side problems throughout the encounter.
In the Honduran camp, Coach Eugenio Umanzor would be asking his team for more of the same commitment after a promising showing against the South American giants. Putting in a particularly lively display against Argentina was forward and captain Antony Lozano. But centre-back Jose Tobias may have his hands full trying to stop the likes of Terry Envoh, Edafe Egbedi and Stanley Okoro. Yet, with the burden of expectation firmly on their opponents' shoulders, the technically gifted Catrachos will feel confident of springing a surprise.
Honduras' previous appearance at a FIFA competition on Nigerian soil, the 1999 edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, ended in three defeats from three games. Drawn in a group of death along Nigeria, Germany and Argentina, the Central Americans may create a big upset against the host. "We knew it'd be very difficult before we came here, but we want to prove ourselves worthy opponents. We were against Argentina and we will be again against Nigeria." Eugenio Umanzor, Honduras coach told reporters ahead of today's match.
Nigerian supporters left the Abuja National Stadium on Saturday in high hopes having seen their team claim a draw against remarkable odds. But given their status as host nation and defending champions, failure to win tonight's game, would pile the pressure on Coach John Obuh and his young charges to win their last group match against Argentina slated for Bauchi. "Against Germany, we conceded three goals because we didn't show any tactical discipline whatsoever. But my players have demonstrated they've got the ability to bounce back and put in an improved performance against Honduras." John Obuh, said after yesterday's training.
In the other group match also scheduled for today, at the Abuja National Stadium, Argentina will take on Germany and a win for the South Americans will take them to the summit of group A table and a place in the second round, irrespective of the outcome of the match between Nigeria and Honduras.
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