[size=14pt]Nigeria U17 coach hits back at Iran age-cheating claim[/size]

By Oluwashina Okeleji. BBC Sport, Lagos


Nigeria Under-17 coach Manu Garba has dismissed Iran's accusation of age-cheating in the 4-1 defeat by the Golden Eaglets at the Fifa Under-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

Three-time champions Nigeria were too hot for Iran at the Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain racking up three goals in the first half en route to a 4-1 win against the Asian side in the Round of 16.

Afterwards Iranian coach Ali Doustimehr questioned the ages of some of the players representing the west African country.

But Garba told BBC Sport: "I personally feel it is just something that is borne out of frustration at losing to a tactically and technically better side.

"All the players we have here passed the MRI test and we even conducted another round one month before we came to the UAE.

"We would probably take it up with the Iranian coach at Fifa level for casting aspersion on the eligibility of our players."

Back in August, Nigeria dropped key players for the tournament after wrist scans showed them to be over the age limit.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was used to scan the wrist plate of players to accurately ascertain their true age, with only players between grade 1 and 5 of the scan eligible to participate.

Meanwhile, Nigeria and Ivory Coast are the only African teams to have progressed to the quarter-finals in the UAE.

While the Young Elephants narrowly edged past continental rivals Morocco 2-1, Nigeria highlighted their title credentials with that crushing victory over Iran, bringing their goals-for tally to 18 after four games.

Ivory Coast will face Argentina in the last eight on Saturday, while Nigeria are sweating on the fitness of leading scorer Kelechi Iheanacho for their tie against Uruguay on the same day.

Iheanacho has scored five goals in the competition and coach Manu Garba has assured the striker will be available for the Uruguay test.

"It is a minor injury and Iheanacho should be back for the next game," the coach said.

Nigeria have now reached at least the quarter-finals at nine of the ten U-17 World Cups they have participated in.

The only time the Golden Eaglets failed to do so was at Finland 2003, when they were packing for home after the group stage.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24742598

That iran coach is crazy!! Aren't his boys looking older than our boys?
If he thinks our boys are more than 17, then what will he say of brazil??

i wonder

Cheating or not we have won the match, progressed to the next match and hopefully win the cup. Thats all

All our boiz don old jor.. Call a spade a spade.
I you see 17 yr old boy for road most dey small.

Iran is out and in pain.

Losers always find excuses.

"my boyz passed the MRI test twice. So, Iran shut up" - Manu Garba

♫♪♫ ♫♪♫

Hin dy craze? Hin dy craze?

Space booked, I wan run reach toilet

As a proud Nigerian who no wan send how they pass that MRI test, I must say if they can't prove shit, they should shut the F up.

Hapy birth day!

The truth be told, the Nigerian players were really young, the guy that was substituted for iheanacho looked 15.

Even the iranians looked older and injured our players a lot during the match, we should be accusing them.

If only he met the Tella boys

Na defeat dey cause am! If iran had defeatd naija, wud he ave said it? I smell pains in hs assertns! Buh he shud learn 2 acept defeat in gud faith n try harda nxt tym!

Silly allegation by the Iranian coach. I wonder if he is saying all these to seek for a re-match. he n his boys should just pack their bags and go back home.

Na wa

Sincerely speaking, this nigerian under 17 boiz look younger...!

Iranian coach is suffering from what hausa pple call "zafin ci". Lol

Iranian coach is a sore loser.. Crying after spilled milk..


Our bois no get tiger mustache but have a look on the Swedes and see what 'under 17' is not about.

.

.

Na wa i for say sumtin bt i dey fear ban

no b d same scan wey no see drug 4 baba suwe belly

This should be the youngest group of players Nigeria has ever assembled for a competition like this.

They are Golden eaglets not baby eaglets. With this my lord they are not over aged.

if our boys are over-aged or not, we will know on Saturday against Uruguay

I know those guys re over 17 but who cares

homesteady: That iran coach is crazy!! Aren't his boys looking older than our boys?
If he thinks our boys are more than 17, then what will he say of brazil??

For the very first time that to an extent Nigeria presented players about the age range, yet the Iranian coach is spewing trash. I think the coach must have be bewildered with the way and manner they were trounced by the Eaglets, hence the age allegation. A closer look at Brazil would have helped his submission and not Nigeria.

Make him check those Brazilian first

Our boys are by far the youngest in this competition. The iranian coach is very silly to make such an outrageous accusation. This is what too much economic sanction can do to a people.