Amuneke: Mali Must Fall

Golden Eaglets' Coach Emmanuel Amuneke (MON) believes his bow as a national team coach would start on a winning note on Monday when Nigeria face Mali at the WAFU B Under-17 Tournament in Togo.

The eagerly anticipated match fixed for 2:30pm local time-3:30pm Nigerian time-at Stade Municipal would be Golden Eaglets' first match at the tournament following last minute withdrawal of Niger which they would have met on Saturday.

"We are in good spirit ahead of our match against Mali on Monday and by the grace of God, we shall come on top," Amuneke said after the team's special service at their Blue Angel Hotel camp in Lome on Sunday. "We have actually asked for blessing from God and having done our own part, we are confident that God will help us to achieve victory," he added.

Indeed, the Golden Eaglets  would go into this match knowing that the Malians would not give them a quarter after  their  rampaging predecessors  dispatched them  from the last CAN Under-17 Tournament in Morocco on a 4-0 aggregate score line .

Coach Amuneke would most likely start with his usual suspects with Amos Benjamin in goal with defensive duties for Ayodeji Bamidele; Kolawole Gbadamosi; Dayo Femi and Joshua Auta.  While there could be space  for Jack Ipalibo ;Paul Obasi  Kelechi Nwakali  and Kingsley Michael in the midfield,  the duo of  Orji Okonkwo and  Kehinde Ayinde may be in the attack.

"By the grace of God, we are going to give our best in this tournament starting with the game against Mali on Monday," skipper Nwakali said in a vote of thanks when Nigeria's High Commissioner to Togo, Ambassador Mathew Sunday Adoli made a whistle stop at the team's Hotel on Saturday. "This is a good opportunity for us and we are ready to do our best to defend the colours of the country."