No Reception For Victorious Flying Eagles

pmnews-placeholder

The victorious Flying Eagles of Nigeria were shocked to see that no official of the  Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, was around to welcome them when they arrived at the  Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday from Port Louis, Mauritius.

The team defeated Mauritius’ U-20 national team 2-0 in an away fixture in the first leg   last African Youth Championship, AYC, qualifying match played at the weekend.

On their arrival to the country, the players and their coaches, led by John Obuh were  shocked when they realised that there was no special reception for them by the NFF.

No official team bus from the federation was around to convey the heroes away from the  crowded airport.

The players had to be ferried in batches, some by friends, as their watching fans looked  on in shock.

Meanwhile, assistant coach of the team, Samuel Abimbola has described the match in  Mauritius as a tough one for the Nigerian team, adding that the Flying Eagles played to  the satisfaction of the coaches. He revealed that the team could have scored more than  two gaols but for the referee who disallowed a goal in the course of the pulsating  encounter in Port Louis. Striker Stanley Okoro of Spanish club Almeria scored one of the  Flying Eagles’ two goals.

Okoro’s goal comes in the wake of his late recall by Coach John Obuh last week for the  trip to Mauritius after Omo Ojabu’s injury.

Striker Bright Ejike of Blue Angels football club in Nigeria also got in on the act with  a goal to seal an important away win for Nigeria and to deny Mauritius hopes of another  big home victory after beating visiting Zambia 3-1 in the first round, return leg last  month.

The Flying Eagles’ victory was the Nigerian team’s first away victory in the qualifiers  after losing 1-0 away to Guinea in the second leg first round match. They had earlier won  the first leg in Abuja 2-0. The Flying Eagles eventually advanced 2-1 on aggregate to the  second round.

The final battle to decide who picks the ticket to play at the AYC finals in Libya 2011  from 18 March-1 April next year will be held in Abuja between Nigeria and Mauritius on  the weekend of 23-25 October, 2010.

Load more