Nigeria’s cadet national team, Golden Eaglets’ captain, Samson Tijani has promised that he and his colleagues will put up a committed fight against Ecuador, in their second match at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil, as they want to justify the message President Muhammadu Buhari sent to them after they won their opening game on Saturday.
Tijani admitted the team took their feet off the pedal in their first match against Hungary, and almost paid the price, before storming back twice to win 4-2, such that they cannot afford to take anything for granted tonight against the South Americans, who are level with them on three points, after beat Australia 2-1 in their opening game, megasportsarena.com reports further.
It means tonight’s game is a clash ffor top spot in Group B after two rounds of matches at the ongoing Cadet Mundial in The Samba Nation, and Tijani says the encouraging words they got from President Buhari will spur him and his teammates to go all out for victory.
Buhari sent a message to congratulate the Eaglets for their come-from-behind win over Hungary on Saturday, after Tijani scored twice, while Oluwatimilehin Adeniyi and Usman Ibrahim got the other goals, but the president equally charged the lads not to rest on their oars until they win the cup, which would become Nigeria’s record-extending sixth feel of the Cadet Mundial’s trophy.
It means the Eaglets will have to be wary of Ecuador, who raced to an early two-goal lead against Australia before eventually seeing out a 2-1 triumph, leaving them and Nigeria joint-top on three points heading into tonight’s second group game, for which both sides have no injury issues.
It will be the first-ever game between these two countries in the competition’s history, but a win for either side will confirm early qualification for the Round of 16, which Tijani says he and his teammates have already set their minds on, hence their determination to increase their tenacity.
Tijani told thenff.com: “We are very happy to have seen the congratulatory messages by Mr. President. Our morale has been lifted even higher, and we will go into the match against Ecuador with greater determination to win.”
