By Daily Sports on October 23, 2015

The city of Coquimbo, Chile where the goingon edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup is taking place will host group A leaders, Nigeria against Croatia in the last group game by 12am Nigerian time.

It would be recalled that Nigeria who is the defending champions of the biannual FIFA Cadet competition has earlier beat USA 2-0 in their opening game in the group and thrashed host country, Chile 1-5 in second game.

The last group match is against a Croatia side that shared points against USA and Chile in their encounters thereby chalking two points from the same number of games. Against a ruthless Nigerian squad that has no respect for teams would prove to be a huge task for their opponent and how they go about it to contain the giant West African country, only 90mimutes would tell.

The Golden Eaglets are confronting their day’s opponent on sounding footing haven the round of 16 teams’ ticket already on hand no matter the outcome of this encounter. Scoring seven goals and conceding just one remains an intimidating credential to behold.

Although, the team’s coach, Emmanuel Amuneke is already talking tough as he urges his boys to go about the game the way and manner they have been known for. It is against that background that fans would yet witness the fluid following kind of football the African representative has displayed so far since the kick- off of the football summit.

It also in the light of the above that bookmakers and other commentators have put their feet down to give this game to the defending champions though they envisaged that the game would not bring the kind of fireworks the Nigerians threw in their last two matches against USA and Chile respectively which brought them into reckoning amongst the contenders of the trophy.

It has also been speculated that the Nigerian bench would use this formality match to try out the players that are yet to feel the field in the tournament in order to discover potentials as the competition would enter crunchy stage after this last of group games.

Nigeria’s rugged and reliable left side defender, Anumudu who would miss the day’s game, no thanks to the two yellow cards he bagged one against the USA and the other against Chile. Will give the second best in the position an ample opportunity to prove himself worthy depending on how he goes about holding and effectively checkmating the Croatian strikers.

Anumudu would be missed as those his intelligent tackles which keeps opponents at bare would not be handy. The good thing is that he will be on duty as the championship enters its more crucial and critical stage next week. One must point out here also that there are no reported injury worries in the Golden Eaglets camp. Its viva, Flying Golden Eaglets!! 

•Photo shows Amuneke.

Source Daily Sports

Posted October 23, 2015

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