It was rumoured this morning that Luis Suarez has been all but ruled out of the World Cup after suffering a knee injury during Uruguay training and will undergo surgery today
Author: Oluwasegun Noah, UAE
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The Eaglets defeated their Mexican counterparts to emerge fourth time winner of FIFA U-17 World Cup
The Eaglets won the Fair Play Award for collecting less cautions in the competition while Nigeria’s outstanding No 10, Kelechi Iheanacho, won the tournament’s best player and the second top-scorer, having scored six goals and setting up a further seven en route to a fourth title for the West Africans
The Minister of Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, made this possible as he augmented the bonus from the quarter-final stage to the final of the competition, when he agreed to double the amount paid by the cash-strapped Nigeria Football Federation, which has said it loud and clear that it is financially handicapped
Others who sent out early congratulatory messages to the Golden Eaglets included the Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan; the Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole; and a former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Kalu
Muhammed has been an inspired choice by Coach Manu Garba “because he combines the names of two prophets” and Awoniyi said there couldn’t have been a better captain than the Kano State-born defender
Thomson has been a match official since 1988 and has officiated in the Scottish Premier League since 2002
There is an extra motivation for me to win this trophy and it would be my greatest honour yet because in 2007 I was an assistant when Nigeria won this trophy,” Manu said at the lobby of Abu Dhabi Hotel before heading for his last pre-match press conference at this 2013 UAE U-17 World Cup
Kelechi Iheanacho, Taiwo Awoniyi and Musa Yahaya spearhead a side that is constantly on the move and harasses the opposition, with or without the ball, posing a serious challenge for any defence
“We saw them play before our semi-final, and they looked strong against Argentina,” said the midfielder. “We’re hoping for a repeat performance [of the group match]. In football it’s difficult to make predictions but, God willing, we’ll beat them again. Mexico can make all the changes they want, but it will be the same team we faced in the group stage
Elegbeleye said the brilliant display of the youngsters has taken Nigeria to another level in world soccer
Abdullahi said: “This Golden Eaglets team has dazzled all here at the United Arab Emirates and virtually everybody here has been commending them
The list of officials for the match is completed with his two compatriots, Allesandro Rocha and Marcelo Van Grasse, who incidentally served as first and second assistants the last time
“All my life, I have never entertained any fear and I don’t even know what fear means,” posited Garba when pressed at a press conference
First comes the 2014 FIFA World Cup final qualifying match against the Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia, at the U. J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar on November 16, a fixture the Eagles lead 2-1 from the first leg in Addis Ababa on October 13
The Golden Eaglets had to draw on their rich experience to draw 3-3 against the Europeans in their preliminary Group F match in Al Ain penultimate week but Manu said it would be a different ball game when the two teams meet again in the semi-final at the Rashid Stadium in Dubai
“To achieve what we want here, we have to have faith in every member of the team,” Awoniyi told FIFA.com after starting Nigeria’s Round of 16 win against Iran. “It’s not just about the boys in the first XI
Amobi has been supporting Nigeria’s Ambassador to the UAE, Alhaji Ibrahim Awali, to encourage Nigerians residing in the country to troop out in large numbers to venues of the Golden Eaglets matches in the ongoing U-17 World Cup
The journey, which took about two-and-half hours by bus, was seamless as the Golden Eaglets arrived safely in the city that houses ‘eye of the Emirates Ferris wheel’ in time to keep a date with Uruguay for their quarter-final match on Saturday