News Obiaks News

In continuation of their defence of the FIFA U-17 World Cup which they won 2 years ago, the  Golden Eaglets will test their might against Australia in a winner takes all encounter billed to kick off midnight in Chile. The coach Emmanuel Amuneke tutored team know that a loss in this encounter will see them take the next available flight home. The Eaglets are said to be in high spirits after shrugging off their defeat to Croatia in their final group match Saturday morning.
 
Coach Emmanuel Amuneke has said the boys have since put that defeat behind them and are  ready to play. There are  no injury worries and motivated by the fact that they emerged top of their group. The Eaglets will also be boosted by the return of Bamgboye who served a one-match suspension following the red card he received in their second group match against host country, Chile.
Speaking yesterday from the team’s camp in Chile, Coach Amuneke said the tournament’s top scorer, Victor Osimhen was a marked man and as a result, the technical crew had evolved a method of play that would put every player in the hunt for goals. “Osimhen has really played himself to reckoning and now he is a marked man. We have noticed this and we have told the players to move as a team. Gone are the days a team was built around individual players we are all ready for the game.”
Amuneke said his players cannot contemplate another loss because the loss to Croatia was a wake-up call. “They now know that they too can be beaten so we will all work for victory.” He has admitted that their FIFA U-17 World Cup Chile 2015   Round of 16 opponent, Australia would be a hard nut to crack at the Estadio Sausalito in Vina Del Mar.
The Aussies showed some remarkable tenacity to advance from the  tournament’s supposed group of death (Group D) where they lost 4-1 to Germany, drew goalless with Mexico and edged Argentina 2-1. “We have been looking forward to the team we are going to play and  today (Sunday), we realized it would be Australia. At this stage, everybody  that has qualified must be respected,” explained Amuneke. He submitted that "Australia are a very good side because we saw their match against Argentina; they are a very good side and we   have to respect them.”
While Nigeria have not lost a second round match in the  championship’s history, Australia were beaten 4-0 by Uzbekistan in  their last Round of 16 appearance at Mexico 2011. Yet, Amuneke insisted  the Golden Eaglets must be at their best as Chile 2015 enters the knockout stages. “We have to keep working hard and prepare our players  physically and psychologically for the match against Australia  especially after losing our last group match to Croatia. We have to  let the players realize that the stage we are in now is crucial and it needs high level of concentration from them.
“It is a welcome development and before Wednesday, we would evaluate   our players and see their state of mind but hopefully, all of them would be ready to play on Wednesday,” Amuneke assured. The Eaglets have, in the meantime, been training in Vina del Mar since arriving there on  Saturday ahead of their date against the Aussies.