The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has for the umpteenth time reiterated that President Goodluck Jonathan deserves accolades for his the uncommon support towards the development of the beautiful game in the country.
This much was stated by Yussuf Fresh, a board member of the NFF in his opening remarks on behalf of Aminu Maigari-the president of NFF-during a courtesy call by Golden Eaglets to the Nigeria High Commission in Lome on Friday.
The straight-talking Fresh said the NFF has enjoined excellent relationship with the country’s number one football aficionado even as he thanked Ambassador Mathew Sunday Adoli for hosting the team barely
24 hours after they arrived Lome for the WAFU B U-17 Tournament.
“On our part, we would forever be grateful to President Jonathan for his encouragement and support which has relay helped us to win trophies for the country, “said Fresh in a refreshing way.” Given his
support, we are encouraged to work more in order to bring more laurels to the country.”
Fresh equally thanked officials of the Nigeria’s embassy in Lome for the assistance rendered to the NFF when the Golden Eaglets won the CAN Under-17 Championship in 2007. He said the current Under-17 team holds great promise while soliciting the support of Nigerians for the boys being put together by Coach Emmanuel Amuneke.
“We are really at home here in Lome because the organisers have provided us with the needed logistics,” noted Fresh who doubles as the leader of the Golden Eaglets’ to Togo. “We pray that these boys would
also bring joy to Nigerians since we are the defending champions of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup.”
Golden Eaglets thru’ to semi-finals
Following the last minute withdrawal of Niger from the WAFU B Under-17 Tournament in Togo, the Golden Eaglets as well as their Group B foes, Mali are through to the semi-final stages of the competition.
Golden Eaglets’ administrator, Mr. Tayo Egbaiyelo informed team officials late Friday night about the revised fixture delivered to the team’s Angel Blue Hotel by the organisers after the withdrawal of the
Nigeriens.
The Nigerian Under-17 team were already looking forward to their opening Group B encounter on Saturday at the Stade Municipal only to be told to keep their gun powder dry.
While the trio of Benin, Togo and Cote D’Ivoire jostle for semi-final spots in Group A; Nigeria and Mali would only slug it out in a ‘double header’ to determine who top Group B in spite of the fact
that they are already guaranteed semi-final tickets,
In a revised fixture signed by Mr. Aka Malan, the secretary of West African Football Union(WAFU), Nigeria and Mali would now tango at the Stade Municipal on April 21st and 23rd with the matches fixed for 2:30pm and 3:30pm local time (3:30pm and 4:30pm Nigerian time) respectively.
