Golden Eaglets resume training ahead semifinals

GOLDEN Eaglets Coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, believes that his team must work harder than ever if they desired to win the on-going African Under-17 Championship holding in Niger Republic.

  The coach took his team back to the training pitch of the Stade Municipal in Niamey Sunay, just less than 24 hours after their exertions in the win against Zambia.

  Stade Municipal was a ‘theatre of dreams’ following the Golden Eaglets 3-1 win over the Junior Chipolopolo of Zambia which secured them a semi-final berth and a ticket to the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Chile later this year.

  “We have to thank God that he has helped us so far but we must continue to work hard until the journey is over,” Amuneke told the players. 

  “We have too more races to do; the semifinal first and then we can begin to talk about the final but let us remain focused.”

  Yesterday’s training was light with plenty of fun and thrills. After loosening up; the players engaged in ‘handball’ and the whole exercise lasted about one hour.

  One of Nigeria’s star performers in this championship, gangling striker, Victor Osimhen, has admitted it would be an effort in futility if he emerges as Niger 2015 top scorer without Golden Eaglets as champions of Africa.

On the road to Niger 2015, Osimhen was Golden Eaglets’ top marksman with an impressive 18 goals in 38 (official and friendly) matches and has scored thrice here, including two spectacular goals against Zambia on Saturday.

  “Yes, we are happy that we have qualified for the World Cup and my priority now is to ensure that we win the trophy because it would be meaningless even if I finish the top scorer,” he said.

  Incidentally, Osimhen and captain Kelechi Nwakali are the only two Golden Eaglets on the Niger 2015 score sheet as they equally share six goals between them, but the lad noted it was just a mere a coincidence.

  “Personally, I’m not thinking as an individual because the team comes first; “he maintained. “I’m not thinking towards that because we have so many other good players who can score goals for us too.”