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U-20 World Cup: Fans back Flying Eagles against Italy

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U-20 World Cup: Fans back Flying Eagles against Italy

SOME Football fans in Lagos on Monday urged Nigeria’s Flying Eagles to toughen up as they set sight on Italy in their second match of the ongoing FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina.

The Flying Eagles began their campaign defeating their Group A counterpart, Dominican Republic 2-1, to record valuable three points.

The Nigerian side played their hearts out and had good control of the game but it was the Dominican Republic that scored the opening goal in the 22nd minute from the penalty spot.
However, a resolute Flying Eagles team maintained their confidence and mounted countless attacks on their opponent to record a victory.

Football Fans in Lagos told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in seprate interviews that the team still had so much to do to secure a win or draw.

Friday Ekpo, an ex-international in his assessment of the team, said a lot still needed to be done as the Italian side were no pushovers.

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He said the team should stay focused and do not allow their first victory to get to their heads as earning a draw was good enough to go into their last group game against Brazil.

“The team needs to stay focused, and should not allow any kind of distraction to affect their team cordination.

“They should listen to their coach’s instructions because they definitely should have seen the Italian side and assessed how to beat them and earn needed points to move ahead.

“There are weaknesses in every team and Italians are not short of that, hence the team should keep their heads and take to their coach’s instructions,” Ekpo said.

John Agbalaka, a grassroots football coordinator, told NAN that the team had the capacity to go far but must work hard to achieve their set objectives.

“They need to work hard as a team and stop waisting valuable chances as the Italian side are technically sound.

“They also need to to maintain good ball possession and rotation as they showed against the Dominican Republic.

“They basically need to keep their heads and at least get a draw going to their final match against Brazil,” Agbalaka said.

Femi Adejobi, a football fan, expressed confidence in the Ladan Bosso tutored side and urged them to go all out against the Italians.

“We have some foreign based players in the team that bring in the necessary exposure and experience.

“The team is good and they keep up their good fighting spirit and don’t allow any form of intimidation from the Italians.

“It’s a must win match for them but if they get a draw it could be good enough to keep them in the tournament going to their final group game against Brazil,” Adejobi said.

NAN reports that Flying Eagles take on Italy on Wednesday, as both teams would be looking to earn valuable points having won their first match in the competition.

U-20 World Cup: Fans back Flying Eagles against Italy

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Super Eagles suffer 2-0 loss to Mali in friendly match 

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Super Eagles suffer 2-0 loss to Mali in friendly match 

Nigeria’s Super Eagles on Tuesday night suffered a 2-0 defeat to Mali in a friendly match played in Marrakech, Morocco.

Mali, ranked 19th below the Super Eagles in the FIFA’s latest standings, opened scoring through Atalanta-based striker El Bilal Toure in the first half after Nigeria’s dreadful error resulting from a short goal kick.

Toure could barely believe his luck when defender Chidozie Awaziem tried to play a long square pass under pressure near the edge of the Nigeria box and succeeded only in crossing the ball straight to the Mali striker.

He controlled well on his chest before bundling a finish past goalkeeper Stanely Nwabali.

Nigeria lost Moses Simon to injury when the Nantes star collided with Mali keeper Mamadou Samassa and had to be substituted after appearing to suffer a painful knee injury.

Kamory Doumbia made it 2-0 for Mali with three minutes to normal regulation time.

Nigeria defeated Ghana 2-1 last Friday in a positive result for interim coach Finidi George, the former Ajax and Real Betis winger, who won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations.

The defeat has left the Super Eagles with a lot of concerns before they resume World Cup qualifying in June.

This was the 12th meeting between Nigeria and Mali. Nigeria have the head-to-head advantage, with six wins and three defeats in those games.

Mali’s most recent previous win over the Super Eagles was a 4-1 friendly victory way back in 1975.

Some key stars missed the friendly match due to injury. They are Victor Osimhen, William Troost-Ekong, Victor Boniface, Ola Aina, and Zaidu Sanusi.

Midfielder Frank Onyeka has also withdrawn from the squad.

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Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG ready to pay €90m for Victor Osimhen

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Victor Osimhen

Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG ready to pay €90m for Victor Osimhen

Chelsea, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain are ready to offer €90 million for Napoli star striker, Victor Osimhen, according to Italian newspaper, II Mattino.

Osimhen has a release clause of around €120 million in his contract but Napoli President Aurelio de Laurentiis could accept a bid below that, according to the publication.

Napoli are prepared to part company with the Nigerian at the end of the season despite the forward signing a new contract last December.

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Chelsea, Arsenal and PSG have been persistently linked with a move for the forward.

Intermediaries are reportedly working with the striker’s agent, Roberto Calenda to sort out his future.

Osimhen, who joined Napoli from Ligue 1 club, Lille in 2022, has scored 72 goals in 125 appearances for the Partenopei.

Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG ready to pay €90m for Victor Osimhen

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Finidi George aims for second victory as Super Eagles face Mali today

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Finidi George

Finidi George aims for second victory as Super Eagles face Mali today

Former World Cup star Finidi George is determined to secure a second consecutive win as he leads the Super Eagles in their clash against Mali today. Appointed as the interim coach for the Nigerian team, George aims to maintain the winning momentum after their recent victory over Ghana.

The encounter between the two West African teams is scheduled at the Grand Stade de Marrakech in Morocco, where the Super Eagles emerged triumphant in their previous match against arch-rivals Ghana with a 2-1 scoreline.

However, George faces challenges as key players such as defender Calvin Bassey and midfielder Frank Onyeka are sidelined due to injuries, adding to the absence of other notable names like Victor Osimhen, William Ekong, and Olaoluwa Aina.

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Despite these setbacks, George remains optimistic about the team’s prospects against Mali. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining a winning mentality and expresses confidence in the players’ ability to replicate their performance against Ghana and secure another victory.

Notably, George himself has a history with the Eagles of Mali, having played against them during the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations, where Nigeria emerged victorious.

In light of the absences and injuries, George may turn to players such as goalkeeper Olorunleke Ojo, defenders Kenneth Omeruo and Jamilu Collins, midfielder Alhassan Yusuf, and forwards Nathan Tella, Sadiq Umar, and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru to play prominent roles in the upcoming fixture.

Despite the challenges, Finidi George remains determined to guide the Super Eagles to another triumph as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers in June.

Finidi George aims for second victory as Super Eagles face Mali today

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