Golden Eaglets beat Yuguda Boys 2-1

Golden Eaglets were 2-1 better of their Yuguda Boys counterparts at the NFF/FIFA Goal Project in Abuja on Wednesday, which made it two wins in as many test matches to come.
Two goals in each half by Suleiman Abdullahi and Kehinde Ayinde put the new Under-17 recruits in front, but the youngsters from Bauchi eventually pulled one back via a penalty kick barely a minute to the end of the match.
In attendance to watch the mid-morning match were Alhaji Mohammed Fresh, board member and chairman of the NFF’s youth committee, as well as former Nigerian international, Patrick Pascal.
Others included Muhammed Musa, the inspirational captain of the 2013 Golden Eaglets’ World Cup-winning team, who breezed in towards the end.
However, it was the Yuguda Boys that nearly went in front in the 34th minute when a well-struck free kick by Babaji Abubakar on the periphery of the box was punched away by Amos Benjamin in goal for the Eaglets.
Golden Eaglets’ first goal, however, came in the 44th minute when petit Kehinde Ayinde broke free from the right flank and after evading his shadows, he flicked a pass to Henry Akibi who in turn passed to Suleiman Abdullahi to slot home the first goal.
On resumption, the Eaglets increased the tempo of the game as substitute Kelechi Nwakali combined beautifully with Ayinde to terrorize their markers.
In the 79th minute, Kelechi swiftly launched a through pass to Ayinde, who swerved and rounded off goalkeeper Sani to push the ball into an empty net for the second goal of the highly-charged encounter.
Yet the Yuguda Boys did not give up as they piled pressure on the Eaglets’ defence that eventually conceded a penalty, which was buried into the net by Ibrahim Yahaya barely a minute to the end of the match.
Coaches Emmanuel Amuneke of the Golden Eaglets and Bala Maijama’a Umar of Yuguda Boys praised the gallantry of the two sides.
“Frankly, I’m with the Eaglets bearing in mind that they are just putting them together,” said Umar. “It was a good opportunity for us too to ascertain the readiness of our boys before going for a youth tournament in Portugal.”