Flying Eagles head coach Paul Aigbogun is disappointed to see his charges end their campaign at the 2019 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Niamey on a negative note following a 5-3 penalty shoot-out defeat to South Africa in Saturday’s third-place match, reports Completesports.com.
The West Africans dominated proceedings inside the Seyni Kountche Stadium but were unable to break down the Amajita who were resolute in defence. And Aigbogun regrets that his team’s outing in Niger ended with a defeat.
Penalty shoot-out was required to determine the winner after both teams failed to find the back of the net in regulation time.
It was however the South Africans that carried the day scoring all their five penalties with the impressive Ibrahim Alhassan missing for Nigeria.
A visibly disappointed Aigbogun laments his side’s inability to score before full-time despite their obvious dominance.
Also Read: U-20 AFCON: Flying Eagles Finish 4th, Lose 5-3 To S/Africa On Penalties
“Unfortunately, we couldn’t score during the ninety minutes and it goes to penalties like the semi-final and it’s anybody’s game, and unfortunately, we lost,” Aigbogun stated during his interaction with the media after the game.
“I don’t think you can train penalties well. Our first penalty taker lost and he has been taking all our penalties.
Nigeria and South Africa, alongside with the two finalists – Senegal and Mali, will be the continent’s representatives at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland in May.
Mali and Senegal will battle for the top prize today (Sunday) in Niamey as the biennial tournament reaches its climax.
By Adeboye Amosu
10 Comments
Just take a close look at the Nigerian U-20 soccer team coach in the above picture: Does that man look like a real football coach? How can a soccer coach be so bulky and fat, with a large protruding stomach? Only in Nigeria…
Is he as big as the goalkeeper in the clip below?
https://youtu.be/ycD464oPUE0
Rafa Benitez and Guus Hiddink are just as fat or even fatter, doesn’t make them “not real football coaches”.
So, sorry, no not only in Nigeria.
Aigbogun has to go, not good tactically
At least he wasn’t pictured picking his nose and eating the delicious contents like the coach of Germany below:
https://youtu.be/dIvXyu1N5Yw
I told u people that this man is not a coach,he is good in talking
NFF should go for credible coaches known for good football and goal galore with creating of endless chances and dominating any team regardless of the opposition with beautiful football. For example when we see Manu Garba name a squad we know what to expect beautiful football and goals even though we loose on rare occasions we do so with our heads high. NFF starting from Super Eagles to Super falcons U23 U20s they have to get this fact before hiring a coach if this happens they will be no more reasons to come here having fights or arguments with Drey and co all Rather we will all come here to Celebrate. Until then we are watching and speaking the truth!
The coach is the worst human being on the face of the earth. Not only that this guy must go, but also whoever appointed him to the job MUST GO as well. Look, who is that coach who would loose to Mali and South Africa on paneity on each occasion and still call himself a coach. A grand father should better be bought in to take them to the World Cup in Poland than to allow this buffoon that is parading himself as coach of Nigeria to do so. He loaded this teams with over aged players who could not even shoot into enmity goal post. Aigbogun should hang his stupid head in the red sand of Benin in shame. No wonder, a lot of Edo people are refuting that he is not an Edoman in reality but a pretender of the worst type. If he is real then, this coach has brought shame to us all. THE COACH MUST BE SACKED NOW.
We don’t need to keep this guy, he is not a coach. He has no style, no tactical input, no leadership contributions in and outside the team. The players are void of talent, poor selection based on Islamic rules. Paul Aigbogun politically and picked Hausa boys to represent a Country with great talents from south to East and to the west. Please no excuse, we need celebration in our soccer events since we have the resources and talents. Thank you.
Mr man….pls kindly get the hell out of here with your bigotry…..does the national team belong to only southerners…??? Below is the list of the flying eagles squad.
.
Goalkeepers: Akpan Udoh (Unattached); Olawale Oremade (Oasis FC); Detan Ogundare (Kogi United)
Defenders: Mike Zaruma (Plateau United); Ikouwem Utin (Enyimba FC); Igoh Ogbu (Rosenburg FC, Norway); Solomon Ogberahwe (El-Kanemi Warriors); Valentine Ozornwafor (Enyimba FC); Olasunkanmi Aliyu (Emmanuel Amuneke Academy)
Midfielders: Peter Eletu (Prince Kazeem Academy); Quadri Liameed (36 Lions); Aniekeme Okon (Akwa United); Jamil Muhammad (Kano Pillars); Afeez Aremu (IK Start, Norway)
Forwards: Adamu Alhassan (Kano Pillars); Yahaya Nazifi (Sonderjyske FC, Denmark); Ibrahim Aliyu (Oasis FC); Adeshina Gata (Wikki Tourists); Ibrahim Abubakar (Plateau United); Onyekachi Paschal (Vaxjo United, Sweden); Maxwell Effiom (Enyimba FC).
.
Just 4 of them can be said to be hausas from the north…..Jamil Muhammad, Adamu Alhassan, Yahaya Nazifi & Ibrahim Abubakar. 4 out of 21 (less than 20% of the team). The rest are southerners and middle-belters. Some are Yoruba abd are muslims too e.g. Afeez Aremu and Quadri Liameed. The national team belongs to all Nigerians…and no region is an island of footballing talents. History has shown that nigeria has at different times produced talents from all regions and religions in the country. If you have nothing better to say than to start stoking the embers of ethnicity and religion, kindly get out of here and go get a life.