Posted: Apr 29, 2011
The Flying Eagles have been handed what appears to be a kind draw for this year’s Fifa Under-20 World Cup in Colombia.
At the draws ceremony in Cartagena in the early hours of Thursday, the two-time finalists were thrown in with Croatia, Saudi Arabia and Guatemala in Group D.
They will play their games in the cities of Armenia and Pereira .
Nigeria’s campaign starts on Saturday,July 30 with a duel against Guatemala in Armenia followed by the game against Croatia on Wednesday,August 3 also in Armenia while the last group game which will be played in Pereira on Saturday August 6 will be against Saudi Arabia Meanwhile Flying Eagles coach, John Sam Obuh, has declared his team will make history by becoming the second African team after defending champions,Ghana to win the championships in Colombia.
Ghana became the first African team to win the FIFA Under-20 World Cup two years ago in Egypt and Obuh said he believes his team could follow in the footsteps of the Black Satelites in Colombia from July.
“Our target is to make history for the country and ourselves. We have ambitions. We have played two finals of this competition and are yet to win it and so making history will now be to win it,” said Obuh.
Nigeria are drawn in a relatively easy Group D in Colombia along with Croatia, Saudi Arabia and Guatemala.
“I wouldn’t say this is a tough or easy group,” said Obuh.
“I wouldn’t say this is a tough or easy group,” said Obuh.
“These days, I don’t put a lot of importance on what group I find myself. This was after the Under-17 World Cup, where we were suppose to be in the ‘Group of Death’. Also at the AYC, it was another so-called ‘Group of Death’ that had Ghana and Cameroon.
“The best approach therefore is to face any team you come across in any competition.
“We still need to be focussed on our group for the World Cup, put in all we have got so as to go beyond this stage of the competition.”
The Flying Eagles have already clashed with the Saudis in a friendly in Dubai recently. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.
“We drew that game but we had everything going for us to win it. We outplayed them and now at least seven of the players who played against them in Dubai are not here with us in South Africa for the AYC. We have a better team now than we had in Dubai.
“We drew that game but we had everything going for us to win it. We outplayed them and now at least seven of the players who played against them in Dubai are not here with us in South Africa for the AYC. We have a better team now than we had in Dubai.
“All the same, we will not underrate any of our opponents because there could be surprises.
Every game in our group will be like a cup final. We just have to be prepared.”
Every game in our group will be like a cup final. We just have to be prepared.”
Nigeria have also played against Guatemala. Guatemala won 3-1 in an invitational tourney in Egypt prior to the 2009 FIFA Under-20 World Cup.
Then coach, Samson Siasia, rested his key stars for the match so that fringe players could get some playing time.
No comments:
Post a Comment