NSC Top Brass Tasks Golden Eaglets On 2013 World Cup.

The National Sports Commission, NSC, has commended the Golden Eaglets for finishing as Africa's second best team at the recently concluded 2013 Confederation of African Nations Under-17 Championship hosted by Morocco.

The newly appointed Acting Director General of the NSC, Mustapha Mohammed, before his departure from Marrakech for Abuja, after watching a pulsating final between Nigeria and Cote d'Ivoire last Saturday.

The match ended 5-4 in favour of the Baby Elephants in a penalty shootout after both teams had tied 1-1 in regulation time.

"Over all, we have to commend the efforts of the Golden Eaglets because they did their best at this championship," the DG said matter-of-factly." Of course, if they were a bit lucky, they would have beaten the Ivorians in the Final Match because they have the possibility in the first half with several opportunities."

The  Acting Director General said that the Golden Eaglets had the potentials to go all the way at the  forthcoming FIFA Under-17 World Cup in the UAE later in the year, adding that the NSC would continue to perform its oversight functions at ensuring that Nigeria  reclaimed its glory in international football.

“Personally, I think the Golden Eaglets can do better at the World Cup and I want to believe that the coaches and the Nigeria Football Federation have seen areas where more work has to be done.” he said. “We would continue to support the NFF as part of our responsibilities.”

He said the Eaglets  would perform better at the FIFA Under 17 World Cup following their performance at the Confederation of African Natioions in Morocco as he believed that the tournament would enable the Federation and the teams technical crew to fortify the team before the Wolrd Cup in United Arab Emirate.

Similarly, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco, Senator Abdallah Wali , has enjoined the Golden Eaglets  to be steadfast when they travel to the UAE in October.

“They have done well here but we have all seen that they can do better if they work more, “he said. “ I believe in this team and we should continue to support them as they prepare to face the rest of the World in the UAE.”

The players and officials are expected to depart their base in Marrakech to Casablanca Tuesday afternoon for their onward trip to Lagos later in the evening aboard Air Maroc. team will arrive Nigeria tomorrow.