SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 27, 2013
Cote d’Ivoire won’t beat us twice, says Garba BY SOLOMON NWOKE, MARAKECH
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OLDEN Eaglets coach, Manu Garba
said that Cote’d Ivoire his team’s last hurdle to winning the CAF Under17 Cham-pionship will not triumph over the Eaglets a second time when they clash in the final today.
U-17 Final: What Eaglets must do to overpower Cote d’Ivoire BY PAUL BASSEY, MARAKECH
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HERE is no doubt that Nigerians will expect the Golden Eaglets to win the 10th U17 African Championship throphy this afternoon in Marakech, Morocco. Why not? How can you react otherwise against a team that signaled its entry in the competition, by walloping Ghana 6-1? Even when the same team fell to Cote d’Ivoire 0-1, the expectations were still high that the boys will come back against Congo and they did not disappoint. In the semi final against Tunisia the Eaglets were three goals up in twelve minutes and the stadium started emptying only for the Tunisians to pull two back in quick succession, throwing panic into the hearts of otherwise over confident Nigerian spectators. Against Tunisia, the Eaglets had their worse match to date, so much that even when they won 4-2, the victory was not considered good enough! Childish exuberance, lust for goals that necessitated the two central defenders overlapping at the same time, anger in the ranks, blame and counter blame, selfishness as Ihenacho and Success battled to emerge highest goals scorer to the corporate detriment of the team. Over all loss of concentration and the coaches realized there is still much to do if this team must remain focused and not only win the cup, but go ahead to make Nigeria, nay Africa proud at the World Cup in Saudi Arabia in October as emphasized by Coach Garba Manu at the post match conference. Christian Chukwu,
TUSSLE... A Golden Eaglets player (m) in a hot chase of a Tunisian during the semi final match at the on-going U-17 CAF Championship in Morocco which the Nigerians won 4-2 to qualify for today’s final member of NFF Technical Committee would have preferred Morocco for the final. “…in our days, even now, we know how to handle North Africans “ he said. Not to be. The foes are co West Africans, Cote d’Ivoire, the only team that has so far remained unbeaten. Conquerors of the Golden Eaglets. Did the Tunisian Coach Ben Soltane Abdel Hay say the Eaglets won because the heat favoured them and they were more physical, stronger and faster? The Eaglets will not have such luxury against Cote d’Iivoire, bigger, faster? Stronger? You need to take a look at Chris Bedia and Anderson Niangbo to shudder. Coach Ibrahima Kamara says his joker will be the intelligent Aboubakar Keita and that the Nigerians remain favourites.
Today’s matches Man City Everton S’hampton Stoke Wigan Newcastle
v v v v v v
West Ham Fulham West Brom Norwich Tottenham Liverpool
12.45 p.m. 3 p.m. 3 p.m. 3 p.m. 3 p.m. 5.30 p.m.
Mind games. Since they arrived back to Marakech after beating the Moroccans in Cassablanca, the Ivoriens have developed a champion’s gait. In the hotel they walk tall. There is need to cut them to size. Revenge may not be the word as revenge can be blindly irrational. All the Eaglets have to do is listen to their coaches, establish tactical and tech-
nical superiority, utilize set pieces and forget about the highest goalscorer award advantage team success. The die is cast, 18.30
Nigerian time, the whistle will kick off the match of the tournament and Nigerians will expect nothing less than victory and in grand style too.
CAN U-17 FINAL Nigeria vs 6.30pm
CIV
Suarez accepts ban, begs for forgiveness Liverpool’s Luis Suarez says he hopes to be forgiven by those he has upset after accepting a 10-match ban for biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic.
“I am truly very sorry. I hope that all the people who I have offended at Anfield last Sunday will grant me forgiveness,” the striker tweeted.
CROSS WORD PUZZLE Across 1 President, Nigerian Football Coaches Association, Bitrus – (8) 5 Former Cross River State Governor, Clement – (4) 7 Headgear – (3) 8 L.G.A in Nassarawa State – (4) 9 Super Eagles Striker, Ikechukwu – (4) 10 Dolphins F.C Assistant Coach, Ndubuisi – (5) 12 Swaziland Currency – (5) 16 Cote D’Ivoire “Elephants” Full-back, Guv – (5) 18 Cameroun “Indomitable Lions” Striker, Achille – (5) 19 L.G.A in Borno State – (5) 21 Former Ekiti State Governor, Chief Adebayo – (9) 24 Nigerian Currency – (5) 27 Ebonyi state Commissioner for Information & Orientation, Mr. Ken – (4) 28 Country in Africa – (4) 29 L.G.A in Enugu State – (3) 30 Enugu Rangers Defender, Haliru – (4)
The Ivorian team ended the unbeaten run of the Eaglets at the CAF tournament in Morocco, when they pipped the high scoring Nigerian lads 1-0 during the group stages. The Eaglets responded with a 7-0 thumping of the Congolese team in their last group game. They also beat Tunisia 4-2 in the semi-final. “We were unlucky against the Ivorians during the group stages. But the final match is going to be a different ball. “ We are going to play a better game because we now know them better,” said Garba. Nigeria will be gunning to win the trophy for the third time in four final appearances, while Cote’d Ivoire are playing their first final. “Our aim was to come here and win this trophy and make Nigerians happy,” he added. Cote d’Ivoire beat the hosts Morocco 2-1 in their other semi-final match. No doubt it is a morale boost victory and a message to the Eaglets that the final will not be a stroll in the park for them.
31 L.G.A in Delta State – (8) Down 1 Switzerland, Capital City – (4) 2 Minister of Labour & Productivity, Mr. Chukwuemeka – (4) 3 Colombia striker and Fulham Centre-Forward, Hugo – (9) 4 Country in Africa – (5) 5 L.G.A in Cross-River State – (5) 6 Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka – (8) 11 Adult Female Rabbit – (3) 13 Asian Ox – (5) 14 President, Enugu Chambers of Commerce, Mines and Industry, Mr. Okechukwu – (9) 15 Ethnic Group in Nigeria – (4) 16 Yobe State Capital – (8) 17 Adult Female Horse – (4) 20 Battle – (3) 22 Ingredient used in Making Bread – (5) 23 Proportion – (5) 25 L.G.A in Ebonyi State – (4) 26 Former Plateau State Governor, Chris – (4)
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Suarez added that, although his ban was greater than those in incidents where players had been badly injured, an appeal may “give the wrong impression”. 4
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SOLUTION on page 15
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