imperiouxx: Even Pirlo the professional can't attempt such force-less PK. It was like a stunt to me

he wanted to try a panenka kick.

solomon111: he wanted to try a panenka kick.

I see

zobo-i-zee:
Over confidence took better part of his brain. This our team have ego issue. One thing for sure, it is better we lost. Over-confidence and selfishness is an issue with this team. And the coach should work on the goalkeeper. He has being their weakest link so far in this competition. Very poor in his calculation aerially. Above all, beautiful team with lovely style of play.

Spot on. But Manu Garba should keep the team intact and work on the faults highlighted during this tournament

chidexy: It's good that the boys lost in the final. At least, they'll have time to analyze their shortfalls and correct them before the world cup. If they had won, it would have been extremely difficult to identify those and work on them.

Manu Garba and his coaching crew have done an excellent job in assembling and molding the team. So off you go, roll your sleeves and get back to work - hopefully, the fatty bom boms at the NFF will let him be

yea you made a point has it been they won bet met me they wont win the world cup group stage

Looking beyond the outcome of this match, the innocence of these lads just got me thinking. How much a better place the world would have been if the elderly ones would learn to take defeat that easily. These young lads exchanged their kits after the match: shirts and shorts were exchanged.
Why do we have killings, terrorism everywhere? Why is it that those who lose elections would make the country ungovernable? The hideous group called Boko Haram is a product of hate and the spirit of anger in defeat.
We all need to learn to accept defeat in good spirit. The world would be a better place if we do.
CONGRATULATION YOUND ELEPHANTS OF COTE D`VOIRE , CONGRATULATIONS EAGLETS OF NIGERIA!
ERIA

The Mods have removed the topic from the frontpage

Ejiné:

I disagree.

We had the better PLAYERS, but not the better team... Atleast not yet.

If we're all to be honest with ourselves, the Eaglets started getting pretty selfish during the knockout games - their match with Tunisia was clear evidence.


Everybody wanted to shine; everybody wanted to look cool; everybody wanted to impress that English Premier League Club scout secretly lurking in the audience.

Even that move from Nwakali was an attempt at being badass which eventually didn't turn out as he had hoped.

But all the same, we should understand - These guys are still very young. As the years pass, so shall their team spirit and maturity increase.
There's a lot of potential here. The force is strong with them.

If you've watched Nigerian football properly over the years you'd realise teamwork and team spirit peaks at the U17 level and declines proportionally to maturity. The best teams this country has ever produced are always in the junior cadre. Anyone and any team that doesn't do well at this level has practically no hope moving forward. This is not europe or south america.

As a poser. Can you name one, just one player who has or is playing better in the Super Eagles than he did at U17 or U21 level, but the yellow pages are filled with great players who never made the transition.

Congratulations to the Nigerian team... i hope we maintain these guys 'cos they're the future

CFCfan: The Mods have removed the topic from the frontpage

They're in their rooms now, crying.
I really wouldn't blame them

CFCfan: The Mods have removed the topic from the frontpage

why? I noticed it too or is it b'cuz we lost

Reference:

If you've watched Nigerian football properly over the years you'd realise teamwork and team spirit peaks at the U17 level and declines proportionally to maturity. The best teams this country has ever produced are always in the junior cadre. Anyone and any team that doesn't do well at this level has practically no hope moving forward. This is not europe or south america.

As a poser. Can you name one, just one player who has or is playing better in the Super Eagles than he did at U17 or U21 level, but the yellow pages are filled with great players who never made the transition.

The bolded is not entirely accurate. The Golden eaglets of 2003, crashed out in the group stage of the Finland U-17 world cup. However, Mikel Obi is still very much a prominent member of the Super Eagles

Ajibel:

why? I noticed it too or is it b'cuz we lost

Its back to the frontpage

Ajibel:

why? I noticed it too or is it b'cuz we lost

That guy vex them too much ni.

My grouse is why dint they show the game on NTA dstv, our govt. Is useless how many of us still dey buy ariel for local tv. Thank GOD for nairaland. We nigerians have far gone ahead of this irresponsible and insensitive government.

CFCfan:

The bolded is not entirely accurate. The Golden eaglets of 2003, crashed out in the group stage of the Finland U-17 world cup. However, Mikel Obi is still very much a prominent member of the Super Eagles

He is not playing better now than he did then. Review the tapes again and see what won him the silver ball in 2005. You will not believe the difference between him then and now.

I tot ghana won it twice.

zobo-i-zee:
I tot ghana won it twice.

The tournament use to be U16 and Ghana won that once.

olumidazz: My grouse is why dint they show the game on NTA dstv, our govt. Is useless how many of us still dey buy ariel for local tv. Thank GOD for nairaland. We nigerians have far gone ahead of this irresponsible and insensitive government.

......meaning?

SmoothLIFE: So here is the history of the tournament

Ghana - 3 titles
Nigeria - 2 titles
Ivory Coast - 2 titles
Gambia - 2 titles


Nigeria could have equaled Ghana if the team could have won!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_U-17_Championship

And what about the U16 we won? your link says Ghana won 2 and not 3.

BTW, this is the first time CIV'll be winning the U17 nations cup.

With everything spelt out for you on that link of yours, you're still goofing?

U17

Ghana - 2 titles
Nigeria - 2 titles
Gambia - 2 titles
Ivory Coast - 1 title



Nigeria were a penalty away from being number 1 at this level. I guess it was not meant to be.

The fact that Gambia has 2 titles here shows the level of age cheating. Nigeria presented 3 over-aged players and many more beat the system. In the end this tournament means nothing.

SmoothLIFE: U17

Ghana - 2 titles
Nigeria - 2 titles
Ivory Coast - 2 titles
Gambia - 2 titles




Nigeria were a penalty away from being number 1 at this level. I guess it was not meant to be.

You're still goofing? when did CIV win it twice?

SmoothLIFE: U17

Ghana - 2 titles
Nigeria - 2 titles
Gambia - 2 titles
Ivory Coast - 1 title



Nigeria were a penalty away from being number 1 at this level. I guess it was not meant to be.

The fact that Gambia has 2 titles here shows the level of age cheating. Nigeria presented 3 over-aged players and many more beat the system. In the end this tournament means nothing.

Ivory coast has 1 title according to that link though.

honeric01:

You're still goofing? when did CIV win it twice?

I can already see 2015

SmoothLIFE:

I can already see 2015

Simple peep and type, you can't do, yet you want to predict 2015?

African soccer powerhouse
1.ghana
2.cameroon/Nigeria
3.egypt
4.ivory coast

This is what caused confusion. The old U16's were not a tournament but home and away fixtures.

The Ivory Coast emerged winners of the African Under-17 Championship in Morocco after defeating Nigeria on penalties on Saturday.

The game ended 1-1 in regulation time and went straight to penalties accordance to FIFA regulation for the under-17s.

The Ivorians won the spot kick by 5-4.

The Nigerians began well with Izu Omego putting his team one goal up after seven minutes.

Ivory Coast struggled to cope with the pacy Nigerians until the 26th minute when Chris Bile Bedia evened the game.

Bedia's goal came against the run of play after poor defending by the Nigerian led to goalkeeper, Adeyinka Adewale gifting the ball after coming off his line.

Within the next six minutes, Ifeanyi Matthew and Chiedbere Nwakali came close to restoring Nigeria's lead before the break.

Three minutes into the second half, Musa Yahaya was played into a scoring opportunity with sight at goal after a superb offensive play but he could only hit the side-net.

On 52 minutes, Bedia was in position to score a second goal for the Ivorians with a close range header but Adewale reacted well.

The tournament's leading scorer, Isaac Success, found himself inside the Ivory Coast's penalty area but shot really wide.

Inside the last 20 minutes, Nigeria thought they had a penalty shout when Success was bundled down in the goal area by four Ivorian defenders.

But with 16 minutes left, goalscorer Omego was sent off by the centre referee, Mahamadou Keita from Mali for an elbow offence.

However, it was Nwakali's miss during the penalty shootout that proved to be Nigeria's undoing as Franck Kessie, Jean Chester Diallo, Bekanty Angban, Aboubacar Keita and Dogbole Niangbo scored all five kicks for the Ivorians to be crowned African champions.


http://www.supersport.com/football/african-youth-championships/news/130427/Ivory_Coast_are_African_U17_champs

We lost again?! Is the AFCON U-17 over?

Did we come in as second place?

zobo-i-zee:
Over confidence took better part of his brain. This our team have ego issue. One thing for sure, it is better we lost. Over-confidence and selfishness is an issue with this team. And the coach should work on the goalkeeper. He has being their weakest link so far in this competition. Very poor in his calculation aerially. Above all, beautiful team with lovely style of play.

you took these words out of my mouth...very on point!

The coach should look for another goalkeeper, then a solid central defender. These were our weaknesses in the matches against Tunisia and Ivory Coast. The goalkeeper doesn't calculate his movement in aerial balls while the central defenders allowed Tunisia to bullied them with set pieces.