U17 World Cup : Golden Eaglets Free-kick Specialist Passed Fit To Face Ecuador



Allnigeriasoccer.com understands that Golden Eaglets free-kick specialist Wisdom Ubani has received the medical green light to make his second appearance at the FIFA U17 World Cup in Tuesday evening's showdown between Nigeria and Ecuador at Estádio Olímpico, Goiania.

The Giant Brillars whizkid had to be stretchered off in the closing minutes of the first half in Nigeria's World Cup opener against Hungary but returned for the second half and played for 30 more minutes before he was replaced.

Ubani has been passed fit for today's clash after taking part in full training on Monday.

Leading up to the World Cup there had been concerns over the fitness of the striker but coach Manu Garba kept faith in his number nine by naming him on the 21-man roster.

Nigeria can qualify for the knockout rounds of the World Cup with a game to spare with a win against the Ecuadorians, who beat Australia 2-1 in their Group B opener.

Today's game against the South American opponents will kickoff at 2100 hours Nigerian time.

**Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Source: ANS

Results:

Angola and Nigeria March on!

Angola 2-1 Canada

Nigeria 3-2 Ecuador



Nigeria's goal scorers so far:

#20 Ibrahim Sa'id - 3 goals (vs Ecuador)

#4 Samson Tijani - 2 goals (vs Hungary)

#2 Oluwatimilehin Adeniyi - 1 goal (vs Hungary)

#6 Usman Ibrahim - 1 goal (vs Hungary)

Nigeria's assist leaders:

Akinkunmi Amoo- 1

Ibrahim Sa'id - 1

Ibraheem Jabaar - 1

Nigeria U-17's beautiful team goal- The third goal

Sa'id to Tijani to Amoo back to Sa'id... And Boom!!! What a goal!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSMwx9Kb-Zo

Nigeria 3-2 Ecuador: Four mins + Highlights


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFyhkIkH7d0

Nigeria's Golden Eaglets 3-2 Ecuador

8mins+ Highlights: English Commentary.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deZ1EgiZ8KQ



Official Highlights from FIFA TV...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ui9IaJ1_HCw

Other Results:

Brazil also qualify for the Round of 16 despite having a player sent off. They beat New Zealand 3-0.
This is New Zealand's second defeat. They have to beat Canada in their last game to stand a chance of making it to the next round as one of the 4 best third placed teams.

Other game between Australia and Hungary from Nigeria's group B finished 2-2.

Memorable moments: Matchday Two Group B replayed

Hat-trick heroics:

The first Nigerian hat-trick in this tournament was scored by Nkwankwo Kanu 26 years ago, while the last one, notched by Victor Osimhen, occurred just two years before.
On Tuesday, Ibrahim Said became the seventh Golden Eaglet to hit the back of the net three times in a U-17 World Cup match – more than any other nation.
One more goal would have seen him equal another record, that of goals scored in a single game, held jointly by another Nigerian (Kelechi Iheanacho, who tallied four times against Mexico at UAE 2013), but helping his team to qualify for the round of 16 will likely satisfy him for now.
“I just want to make my country proud of the team,” the midfielder told FIFA.com after the match.



Source: FIFA.com

Results- October 30

Netherlands red card hand victory to Senegal.

Netherlands 1-3 Senegal. Was 1-1 till that penalty and red card.


Korea Republic 1-3 France.

Senegal and France join Nigeria, Angola and Brazil in the round of 16.

Five Interesting Facts About Nigeria U17 Hat-trick Hero Dubbed The 'New Victor Moses'

Ibrahim Said dominated the front and back pages after netting a hat-trick to help Nigeria qualify for the round of sixteen at the ongoing FIFA U17 World Cup with a game to spare, allnigeriasoccer.com reports.

Having caught the eye in the Golden Eaglets opening day win against Hungary, Said has been the standout player for the five-time world champions since the start of the competition in Brazil.



Here are five interesting facts about Ibrahim Said:

1) Said returned to Dabo Babes Academy, Kano in 2017 after a stint with Zoo United. He was previously .playing for the feeder team of Dabo Babes Academy.

2) He was discovered by Golden Eaglets coach Manu Garba during a scouting programme in Kano in 2017. Said was one of the four Dabo Babes players selected by the Nigeria U17 boss.

3) An MRI scandal almost prevented him from representing Nigeria at the U17 World Cup. He was dropped from the Golden Eaglets squad to the U17 AFCON due to an administrative lapse.

Said was on grade 5 when the initial test which might have been tampered with was conducted. He was invited again to the team ahead of the tournament in Brazil but was not part of the squad to the UEFA Assist Tournament in Turkey last month. Eventually he was included on a 25-man provisional roster before making the final list.

4) He has been nicknamed 'Any Number' by his Golden Eaglets teammates and officials. Although his favorite position is attacking midfield, he is also comfortable playing as a right and left winger, holding midfielder, right wing-back and right fullback. He is very skillful and has been likened to Chelsea loanee Victor Moses.

5) Said is attracting interest from teams based in Belgium, England, Netherlands and Sweden and the number is set to increase after his masterclass display in the 3-2 win against Ecuador.

**Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Results:

USA 0-0 Japan

Chile 4-2 Haiti

October 31: Results

Spain 5-1 Tajikistan

Solomon Islands 0-7 Paraguay


Later on....

Cameroun vs Argentina

Mexico vs Italy


**Modified**

The 7pm Brazil local time (midnight-naija time) games are done and dusted.

Cameroun 1-3 Argentina

Mexico 1-2 Italy

Nigeria XI vs Australia....


Peter Olawale starts. Comes in for Ubani. Thought Divine may start over him but it is nice to see Peter who I was looking forward to watching here in Brazil.


Quadri Edun starts as LB in place of Etim.

Amoo gets his first start.


Oluwabusola starts in Goal while Jinadu is rested.

Final results of Groups A and B matches (Matcdays 3)

Australia 2-1 Nigeria

Hungary 2-3 Ecuador

Angola 0-2 Brazil

Canada 0-1 New Zealand


Highlights: Australia 2-1 Nigeria


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D8zRGzxJsg

Nigeria qualifies as Top team in Group B and will await one of the best third placed teams from A, C or D.

Australia is guaranteed a place in the round of 16 too as one of the best third placed teams.

Group C is done and dusted...

Chile 1-2 Korea republic

Haiti 0-2 France.

France and Korea qualify automatically as 1st and 2nd respectively while Chile waits to know their fate on the best third placed teams rankings.

Meanwhile, Australia have been confirmed qualified since yesterday.


Next up...

Japan vs Senegal

Netherlands vs USA

Group D is done...

Japan 1-0 Senegal

Netherlands 4-0 USA

Japan and Senegal go through as 1st and 2nd respectively.

Netherlands wait to know their fate on the Best third placed teams table.

Group E is done and dusted...

Cameroun 0-2 Spain

Argentina 3-1 Tajikistan

Cameroun crashes out.... Spain tops group... Argentina finishes 2nd.

Spain to meet Senegal in round of 16.

Argentina to meet Top team in Group F.

Group F final group games action will kick off soon....

We have Mexico vs Solomon Islands AND

Italy vs Paraguay.

Italy and Paraguay battle for the right to be called group winners. Whoever wins meet Argentina.

Nigeria will play Chile or Netherlands if I'm correct with the ranking on FIFA website.

Very correct you are. Chile or Netherlands it is but it won't be sorted until Group F is concluded. Mexico is likely to make it as another of the best third placed teams with four points because I expect them to beat Solomon Islands.

Amd depending on how the Italy vs Paraguay game go... Any of them could finish third if either Loses and Mexico bags a basket of goals like 7 or 8 against Solomon Islands.

funkyjms:
Nigeria will play Chile or Netherlands if I'm correct with the ranking on FIFA website.

TheSuperNerd:
Very correct you are. Chile or Netherlands it is but it won't be sorted until Group F is concluded. Mexico is likely to make it as another of the best third placed teams with four points because I expect them to beat Solomon Islands.

Amd depending on how the Italy vs Paraguay game go... Paraguay Any of them could finish third if either they Loses and Mexico bags a basket of goals like 7 or 8 against Solomon Islands.

Reconstructed.
Italy have sealed either 1st or 2nd position
My left ball on Mexico to win!

The question isn't whether Mexico will win because they will surely win.

It is a question of how many goals they will score. Solomon Islands are the whipping boys of the entire tournament.

Italy leads Paraguay now but as it stands, Mexico is still third as they lead too and will need much more goals if they are to usurp Paraguay as the group's Second placed team. But this is provided Italy keeps their lead against Paraguay too. Anything can still happen.

funkyjms:


Reconstructed
My left ball on Mexico to win!

I did say anything can happen....

Group F results...

Italy 1-2 Paraguay

Paraguay comes from behind to shock Italy and claim top spot.

Mexico 8-0 Solomon Islands.

Mexico did find the goals but Italy lost so the Mexicans have to settle for third and qualify as one of the best third placed teams.

Had Italy beaten Paraguay, Mexico would have gone second in the group with their 8-0 result.

Round of 16 (Brazil 2019 FIFA U-17 WC)


As shown below....

It is matchday...

Wishing the Golden Eaglets the best of the very best...

Sadly Matchday became a Losing day.

The Eaglets were not golden this time around.

The team was total crap. Several of the players are just too poor even at this level that I wonder if they will ever improve.

Only Samson Tijani, Akinkunmi Amoo, Peter Olawale, Joseph Oluwabusola and Ibrahim Sa'id offer genuine hopes for the future.

Wisdom Ubani didn't get the chance to explode on this stage but he was definitely our best forward going into this World Cup. If he keeps his head, he could go on and be big.

A dark horse break out star could still emerge from the likes of Ibraheem Jabaar, Olakunle Olusegun, Divine Nwachukwu, and any other but most of them are poor technically.



For the next U-17, Manu Garba should be retained but must be tasked to do proper scouting and mega-rigorous screenings this time just like he did back in 2012 leading up to the U-17 WC in UAE.

This 2019 edition saw limited scouting, and corrupt team selections as regards the final 21 and this is part of why we put out such a poor team.

Anyway, lessons learnt.... We move on from here. See you in 2021 either here... Or elsewhere...

Have a wonderful work day number 3