NFF President Amaju Pinnick has
charged players of the Nigeria U-23 squad to fire from all cylinders when they
clash with hosts Senegal in the first semi final of the 2nd Africa
U-23 Cup of Nations in Dakar on Wednesday.
Head Coach Samson Siasia believes his
boys improved in their last game against Algeria by not conceding a goal, but
Pinnick wants the players to show no mercy when launching onslaughts and do
everything to keep the rearguard tight against the rampaging Senegalese.
Both teams clashed at the men’s
football event of the 11th All-Africa Games in Brazzaville in
September, with Nigeria scoring a last –minute goal to tie the match 1-1.
“It is not going to be easy playing
against the host nation that is high on confidence, having won all their three
group phase matches. Extra effort will be needed in all departments; hardwork
and courage are critical virtues that the U-23 boys must take to heart on
Wednesday.
“Our country is on a run of excellent
results in international competitions. We are determined that run must continue
and that is why the U-23 boys must defeat Senegal to assure of a place in Rio
de Janeiro next year.”
Nigeria, 1996 champions and 2008 vice
champions, missed the 2012 Olympics as Coach Austin Eguavoen’s Class of 2011
lost out at the inaugural Africa U-23 Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Siasia’s group will miss team captain
Azubuike Okechukwu, who is suspended after receiving a second yellow card in
the game against Algeria on Saturday. But Siasia says there is no reason to
panic.
“We would have loved to have Azubuike
because he is the captain and a big motivator, and you have to have a leader on
the field. But he’s suspended, so we have to live with that. There is no need
crying over spilt milk. In life, you always have to make adjustments in several
areas. Azubuike’s absence will give another player the opportunity to prove
himself.”
He added: "We are not going back home empty
–handed; it's no retreat, no surrender. We have to get ourselves ready
for tomorrow's game; it's going to be a difficult one. It’s going to
be eleven players against eleven, so we have our chances to qualify."
Reacting on his rearguard that has conceded four goals
in three games, Siasia said: “We have learnt our lessons. Two games in which
the first half looked good and the last half didn’t. We made our corrections
and you can see from how we played in the last game.” Coach Siasia added that
for now, he is using FIFA U-17 World Cup sensation Victor Osimhen sparingly, so
that the boy doesn't get consumed by the occasion.
Wednesday’s clash will take place at
the Stade Leopold Sedar Senghor, where Siasia scored Nigeria’s first goal in a
2-1 defeat of host Senegal in the opening match of the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations.
0 comments:
Speak up your mind
Tell us what you're thinking... !