By Victor Enyinnaya on November 7, 2022

It is no longer news that the U-17 Women national team, the Flamingo team came back to the country last week from this year’s age grade Women World Cup summit held in India, where the Nigerians won Bronze after turning their German counterparts back  3-2 penalties after 3-3 apiece stalemate.

Needless to emphasize that it was a hard earned victory for the girls who though squandered earlier 3-0 lead to their opponents in the second half of the epic encounter. It is now on record that the Nigerians were determined right from the group stages of the just concluded tournament against all odds and ensured it finished as third best team in the World at that level of Women football competition this year.

While Daily Sports team joined numerous Nigerian fans to say congratulations to the girls despite obvious obstacles by the NFF before and during the championship, yet the girls were focused, determined and above all ensured they made name for themselves and our country.

As Nigerians earnestly wait for Buhari to come back from his usual medical tourism in United Kingdom according to information by Sunday Dare, Sports Minister during his interaction with the players and officials when he mounted reception for the girls in Abuja, while welcoming them back from India. Dare further told his audience that Buhari will announce his gratitude to them as father does to his children for job well-done.

As the curtain had been drawn on the World U-17 Women football summit, one believes that Nigeria Football Federation must have learnt some new lessons of the game though Nigeria is long known as a country that learns nothing and forgets nothing.

A nation leaders plan how to avert earthquake at the eve of the natural disaster, to say the very least is in grave danger. The girls like their predecessors in male and female national teams will taste sad stories which won’t be different  as melted out to their senior colleagues in the past, except if I’m proved wrong. But l doubt. 

The girls like their predecessors went all out and proved their mettle. The columnist must point out here that if not for tactical deceit from the bench; the girls would have gone past Colombia going by past records until the India match.  Colombia has never proved to be pin on Nigeria’s neck at that level in Women football.

General overview is that the outing of the girls remained upbeat and if they are not left out like other teams that did well in tournaments at mainly age grade at World levels in the past, they will perfectly fit into the U-20 team of our Women squad.
That can come to fruition if the Ibrahim Gusau led NFF would act differently from the past. We once again, thumbed up the U-17 girls as they wait for Buhari.

Still On Henry Nwosu’s Plight 

The news of Henry Nwosu MON, heart related problem came to public limelight last week. Daily Sports has as usual been on top of the story and would continue until he is given clean bill of health.

I read with nostalgia beautifully crafted and home truth article by Mathematical Segun Odegbami, his teammate in that victorious and historic 1980 Green Eagles Africa Cup of Nations football summit held in Lagos. It is also instructive to note that the class of 1980 Green Eagles was the first to coast home the top prize for Nigeria in the continent’s football showpiece.

Henry Nwosu, MON was the youngest player in Nigeria’s squad and on the field for that tournament led by Brazil born technical hand, late Otto Gloria. He was marvel to behold. His ever confidence command of midfield of the Green Eagles then was like recurring decimal.  In short, with all conquering zest like a General in hectic war front. His high performance output then remained legion and also legendary.  Fresh from St Finbars College Bariga Lagos, he was invited to the star studded national team in the thick of preparation for the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations tournament hosted by Nigeria.  

Being the youngest, least experienced and it should be pointed out that he was never intimidated by the presence of already dazzling, established, exposed and ready to go bigger name players in the Nigerian line up. He blazed the trail being himself and exhibiting his God given talents which earned him a space in that all conquering squad that spanked Algeria 3-0 to mount the podium for the coveted diadem for the first time for Nigeria.

Odegbami captured graphically who Henry Nwosu, MON is and his story remains vivid. As he rightly puts it, Nwosu was living in one of the flats given to them then by late President Shehu Shagari, second Republic democratic President. According to Odegbami though, he and Nwosu were not meeting often but anytime they ran into each other it was always warmest and vivid too. He also noted that he calls Henry Nwosu the youngest millionaire for what he describes as obvious reasons.

In short Segun Odegbami’s description of Henry Nwosu in the said article told the depth story of love and affection which bonded that class of result oriented 1980 national team.  Henry Nwosu made name for himself which still reminds NFF the need to build our football from the grassroots, be they clubs or national instead of the present lip services being given to it. Henry Nwosu meant so many different things to different people and so it goes. Note that it is part and parcel of human life and race.

A recap, I was one of the teeming fans who were at the magnificent edifice then, National Stadium Surulere, Lagos to watch that titanic Cup final. I came in from one of the best, prestigious and famous Colleges, in the country, Government College Umuahia also known for her exploits in football cum other sports at the collegiate category. My close friends and I came in two days clear and were at the stadium as early as 7a.m of course armed with our breakfast and lunch all in a bid to catch the glimpses of the then wave making national team, mostly that of Henry Nwosu who late Chief C.C. Nwuche, Principal of the College ardent football lover, supporter and sponsor in every sense of the word announced, one Monday morning at the Gigantic College Assembly Hall  the invitation of that young lad into the Nigeria’s senior national side preparing for the major continental football festival in African continent and urged the College football team to strive harder for greater height. I digress.

Of great importance is that my friends and I met and shook hands with the youngest millionaire. unlike now that even as a Sports Journalist seeing any national team player is like a Camel passing through the eye of a needle. We exchanged pleasantries and sundry before we went back to our base in Umuahia now the Abia State capital. We were in Imo State then. I digress again.

This columnist is happy with the response of ever caring Nigerians since the news broke out. I won’t say Henry Nwosu must not die because it has not reached that level. Nigerians are truly and as usual acting to the fullest as their brother’s keep. That act is what Nigerians are known for and one is delighted to observe closely the response so far.

The essence of this article is not only to commend the usual spirit of Nigerians from all walks of life in aid of Nigeria’s ex-international Henry Nwosu,, MON to come back stoutly to his healthy living.

For the records, I have met Henry Nwosu, MON severally on the course of my official duty as a Sports Reporter over the years and it has been but cordial. Even as he relocated to his country home in Orji near Owerri, Nwosu and Daily Sports have been in the best of relationship where he had often granted the digital newspaper incisive and exclusive interviews via telephone chats t which attracted heavy traffic of readers.

He is a trusted friend of the House and we are bent on using this widely read platform to highlight project and propagate the present plight of the ex-international Nigerian player. This digital newspaper welcome dearly the response of well meaning Nigerians to save Henry Nwosu, MON life.

We salute you all dearly and it will ginger Nwosu up enduringly to life again. We must not relent in this hour of spirited drive towards saving a life.

Rivers, Plateau FC.

It was great result posted by both Nigerian football clubs Rivers United and Plateau United in their first leg games in the second tier championship Confederation Cup.

Both teams engaged their counterparts from North Africa, the region that were responsible for the teams’ ouster from the first round of  the more prestigious CAF Champions League which reduced the Nigerian club team to the lesser cadre.

Truth is that Rivers United 5-0 walloping of her opponent from Libya looks formidable enough to see the Billionaire Port Harcourt based team through.  But North African teams can be funny at home and one believes that the technical crew and management of the side are aware of the awaiting uphill like task that awaits them in the second and crucial leg in Benghazi. You don’t go to bed with your two eyes closed while playing against North Africans with whatever wide margin you may have as an advantage.

This is an alarm for both Rivers United and Plateau United FC. 5-0  and 4-1 first leg results these teams must not relax.  Anything can happen. It does not matter which of the North African countries they are coming from.

Clearly put, it won’t be a tea party. These teams that suffered heavy goals deceit would get stronger at their various home grounds typical of North African teams exploits when it involves Nigerian sides.

Bluntly put, it is not yet uhuru for Rivers and Plateau United football clubs competing in the Confederation Cup. Nothing, repeat, absolutely nothing must be between them and the next round before meeting themselves on knock out round.

As Daily Sports trademark and tradition, we are standing with the two Nigerian representatives. We are sure they won’t let the States and our country down because as it is said, once beaten twice shy.We cannot afford to shy this time around. As we continue the countdown to the second leg, we sign off thus: Keep shooting hard till next week. Meanwhile we wait!!     

Source Daily Sports Nigeria

Posted November 7, 2022

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