Coach Roland Larsson has rued his side’s 3-3 draw with the Golden Eaglets, whom he said should have been beaten in yesterday’s Group F match at the FIFA U-17 World Cup here.
Speaking at the conference centre, Larsson said that his superior tactical play almost paid off against their more illustrious west African foes, who have won the competition three times.
Sounding disappointed with the result, which puts them on four points heading into their final group match with Mexico on Friday, Larsson said that his players deserved all the credit for putting up a strong
showing against Nigeria, who he described as one of the superpowers of world junior football.
“It sounds so funny that one can feel disappointed when you play a good draw against Nigeria. We were so close to victory but I am very proud of my boys and they deserve all the credit because they followed
all the plan. I am impressed with the individual skills, speed of the Nigerians but we also deserve some points for this massive show.
“We had studied the way Nigeria played at the Africa tournament and sent some scouts to watch them in the opening match and we had a plan to work very close to them. Our plan was to mark them closely and work
on the wings and it almost worked out. Nigeria is superpower of world football at the junior level but the wing was the key to stopping them.
Three-time champions, the Golden Eaglets came from the brink of defeat to earn a 3-3 draw with debutants Sweden in a thrilling Group F match at the FIFA U-17 World Cup here.
In what could go down as one of the exciting matches (Going by the goals), Sweden raced to a 2-0 lead in the opening 20 minutes, courtesy of two strikes by Varmin Bersha, in the 11th and 19th minutes, respectively.
Not wanting to go down without a fight, the Eaglets, reduced the deficit to a single digit, courtesy of a superb volley by African Nations Championship top scorer Success Isaac, who would later exit the match due to an injury.
With the Swedes exposing the poor defending by Eaglets’ short and lethargic defenders, Nigeria’s goalkeeper, Dele Ajampasu was also left at the mercy of the Europeans, who made use of their height and strong power play to muscle the Eaglets in the midfield.
With Kelechi Iheanacho failing to find his range and doing more work in the midfield, it was left for Musa Yahaya to draw Nigeria level three minutes into the second half.
The goal, a wonderful shot from the 18 yard box, beat goalkeeper Sisten Mohlin in goal for the Swede. In retrospect, he should have done better with the ball but great credit to Yahaya for having the courage to strike in the shot at a time that Nigeria’s attempt to play possession football was not working.
As Eaglets pushed for the winner, Mirza Halvadzic edged Sweden 3-2 up in the 65th minute, a goal that silenced the Nigerian fans, who before that goal believed that victory was on their way.
But Eaglets kept on prodding for the equalizer and deservedly got it nine minutes from regulation time through Taiwo Awoniyi.
Both teams looked for the winner but at the end of regulation time, the scores were 3-3, leaving Eaglets staying at the top of the table ahead of Friday’s final group games.

Source: http://www.datedupdates.com/we-almost-won-the-eaglets-swede-coach/

The Eaglets deserves a credit for the display of individual brilliance ... The Sweden put up a good fight though .. The Mexican will give the Swedish a tough fight
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Go boys you can win the cup again !

Considering the fact that you fielded 7 men and 4 boys to play boys, yes, you should've won. Then again, almost is never enough.

The eaglets were fantastic...kudos to them!!

Plz, let those taking they whites as Saints go and sleep. 70% of the Brazilian players are over-aged. And it's likely that more-than 65% of the Swedish players are same. When I saw the guy that replaced Success, seriously i nearly cried. he is thin and lanky and i know he will be bullied by those swedish over-aged defenders. It happened. if not that he is a good striker like the formal headmaster. There is more power from his head than from his leg. I have played football with the whites. i know them. Whites are good in age cheating only few countries like New Zealand and Australia are different. A friend of mine, no, two of them, students studying in one of the Eastern Europe countries. i don't wanna mention names of country nor clubs because of their future because they are good footballers trying hard to make it. The play for a 3 Division club in that country. During last two months, i think August, one of them called me on skype and was asking me if i know how he can change his age on his documents that there is a tournament their club registered and they are to make use of their U-19 team. He told me that their club directors, coach and team-mates at the senior side advised them to shave their beards, so that they can put them as U-19 players. These guys are more than 23 years old. When they started making necessary arrangements, the organisers of the competition said that they will verify all documents submitted, foreigners will be verified through their International passports and Birth Certificates. Then came the ideas of these same whites for them to falsify their age documents. but when they heard that all these documents will be verified, both from the schools they study at. It became a problem because they have registered the names of this two guys. These guys were now trying to discuss it with me how they can change it. But since I know they used their real age for their International Passports and their finger prints are with the immigration, there's nothing more i can tell them to do than to forget about it. Their clubs later removed their names with the excuse that their families in Nigeria wanted them back urgently, that they can't play again in the tournament. I mean these are whites. Later these same whites will open that their mouths and be saying age-cheating where-as they are they main doers. It sucks. Really it does. Yes, many white kids mature physically faster than their African mates, but does not mature with their level of reasoning and thinking. Anybody here that can be truthful and that had played soccer with all these grown and matured whites physically will certainly testify with me that their mode of reasoning, thinking, decisions are still of a kid. They don't know when to give a hard tackle, when to shoot, when to attack, when to pass etc. permit me to say that There are some natural incidences that can not be over looked. Nigeria is a footballing nation. Whites know that, likewise Spain, Brazil, and Argentina. Many of you guys in europe will testify this. When we say we are from Africa, Nigeria, immediately, these whites we just say "Nigeria, football......good football, Nigerians". They know it. And when you come to the world of Basketball, you cannot forget to mention countries like USA, Greece, Lithuania as one of the basketballing nations in europe and in the world. Almost all the kids there within the age of 2 have started to know many of the tactics in playing basketball than many of us here that are even more than 20 years. Likewise here in nigeria, where a 2 years old kid have started to learn some soccer moves. And there's no Jupiter that can stop their Basketball U-15, U-17, U-19 teams from beating ours only if God wants it the other way round. Likewise in soccer, our best of Unders will beat their best of any U-mate teams. Yes. And because of a must win attitude, over-aged players are invited. Quote me anytime any day, some can know how to play football like dribbling but doesn't have football sense. That's they problem. You will see them trying to score from the center of the field of which they know that it's not possible for them. Again, many of you here that are studying outside nigeria, you can also agree with me that when it comes to Inter-University sports competitions, Nigerians are always they favorites in soccer both male and female teams. In ma own school, we always meet either the Spanish, Italian, German, Portuguese, France teams or the Turkish team in finals. Now, it's like a right that each finals, the nigerian team must meet any of those teams. Whereas when it comes to other sports, we are lacking behind, like basketball, tennis etc.
It pains me sooooooo much whenever i read some comments here, some people that haven't even seen whites before will be writing trash. Whites are the manufacturers of Corruption. What's they difference between Sepp and Mugabe? Age-Cheating is everywhere. They 2 countries i have respected much in this current FIFA U-17 world Cup tournament for using almost real U-17 players are New Zealand and Nigeria.
If you like abuse me for this my write-up. Since mid of last year, i have decided not to abuse one and engage on any e-fight with anyone. I'm really happy, i have been achieving it and it's more-than a year i made the right choice..... They secret is when they abuse my comments, i only give them this sign on their post.