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Nigeria’s Flying Eagles are through to the final of the ongoing
African Youth Championship after a hard-fought 2-0 victory over the ‘Les
Aiglons’ of Mali at the Dobsonville Stadium, in Soweto yesterday.

Two-goal hero in the opening match against Ghana, Uche Nwofor,
put the Nigerians ahead in the 22nd minute of play before Stanley Okoro sealed
the win from the penalty spot in second-half stoppage time.

Nigerian coach John Obuh made no changes to the side which ran
out 2-0 winners over Gambia in Nigeria’s last Group B game.

And with the pitch at the Dobsonville Stadium looking much
better than it had previously been after a break from the incessant rains that
had plagued Johannesburg and rendered the surface almost unplayable. Both sides
began the game cautiously with the Nigerians more comfortable moving the ball
on the ground while the much taller Malians opted for aerial balls.

The tempo of the game, however, moved up a gear in the eighth
minute when Chidi Osuchukwu rose above his marker to head the ball towards goal
only to be denied by Malian goalkeeper Cheick Sy.

The Nigerians kept up the pressure and deservedly shot into the
lead in the 22nd minute through Nwofor who stabbed the ball into the back of
the net after the Malian goalkeeper failed to properly deal with Osuchukwu’s
cross.

It was the third goal of the tournament for the Enugu Rangers
forward and he joined South African player, Lucky Nguzana, on three goals to
top the scorers chart.

The Malians reacted by throwing more men forward and came close
to grabbing an equaliser three minutes after the restart but Adama Toure’s
shot, after the Nigerian defence failed to deal with a corner kick, came off
Danjuma Paul’s right upright.

But the greatest undoing of Diallo Sekou’s Malian side remained
their overdependence on long balls which the Nigerians easily dealt with
through well-laid offside traps by the backline marshalled by the duo of Gbenga
Arokoyo and Gani Ogungbe.

But with the half drawing to a close, Nwofor thought he had
increased Nigeria’s lead when he got on the end of Abdul Ajagun’s cross only to
see his goal bound header stopped from hitting the back of the net by an
incredible reflex save by Sy.

Nigerian grit

The Malians started the second half determined to pull level.
And five minutes into the half Adama Toure beat the Nigerian offside trap, but
goalkeeper Paul was quick off his line to deny the Malian forward.

A minute later Ogungbe was booked by referee Mario Bangoura for
a rash challenge. It was the second yellow card of the tournament for the
Gateway FC defender and ruled him out of Sunday’s final.

Around the hour mark, and against the run of play, Nigeria
almost went 2-0 up through Nwofor who somehow failed to get his head onto a
delightful cross by Ajagun with the goal at his mercy.

Then came a period of complete Malian domination but Paul was on
hand to save the day for the Flying Eagles. And even when the Nasarawa United
goalkeeper was beaten, as was the case in the 74th minute when Ibrahimma Diarra
latched onto a header, the post denied the Malians.

Shortly after the match referee indicated that there will be
five minutes added time, Olanrewaju Kayode was brought down in the Malian area.

The Guinean referee wasted little time in pointing to the spot
and Stanley Okoro, who had only been on the pitch for four minutes, calmly
slotted the ball into the net with Sy rooted to the spot.

The Flying Eagles will come up against Cameroon in the final
after the Young Pharaohs were defeated by Cameroon in the other semi-final
match on penalties.

It will be Nigeria’s eighth Africa Youth Championship final
appearance and they will be hoping to claim their sixth African title, while
the Cameroonians will be seeking a second title.

Both sides met earlier in the tournament with the Cameroonians running out
1-0 winners.

Coach of Nigeria’s Flying Eagles, John Obuh has now set his
sights on achieving an unprecedented cup victory at the FIFA Under 20 World Cup
in Colombia following Thursday’s draws.

The Flying Eagles were pitched in Group D alongside Croatia,
Saudi Arabia and Guatemala in the tournament’s first round.

The Nigerians open their campaign on July 31 against Guatemala
before taking on Croatia on August 3. They will then wrap up their first round
group with a game against Saudi Arabia on August 6.

It will be Nigeria’s ninth appearance at the World Cup but their
best performances have been two second-place finishes at the 1989 tournament in
Saudi Arabia and the 2005 tournament in the Netherlands respectively.

Nigeria also finished third at the 1985 tournament in the old
Soviet Union but Obuh is out to do what the likes of Tunde Disu (1989) and
Samson Siasia (2005) could not achieve; and that is winning the U-20 World Cup.

“Our target is to make history for the country and ourselves. We
have ambitions,” said Obuh. “We have played two finals of this competition and
are yet to win it and so making history will now be to win it.”

Mixed reactions

On his reaction to the draw, Obuh seemed calm, especially as the
Flying Eagles could had found themselves in a tougher group.

“I wouldn’t say this is a tough or easy group. These days, I
don’t put a lot of importance on what group I find myself,” said Obuh who was in
charge of the Nigerian team to the 2009 U-17 World Cup.

He added: “This was after the Under-17 World Cup, where we were
supposed to be in the ‘group of death’. Also at the AYC, it was another
so-called ‘group of death’ that had Ghana and Cameroun.

“The best approach therefore is to face any team you come across
in any competition.”

He nevertheless insists his team will be focused on the
challenge awaiting them in Colombia.

“We still need to be focused on our group for the World Cup, put
in all we have got so as to go beyond this stage of the competition.”

Although Obuh knows next to nothing about most of his Group D
rivals, he does know a bit about the Saudis having played against them in a
recent friendly in the United Arab Emirates.

“We drew that game but we had everything going for us to win
it,” continued Obuh regarding the game which ended in a 1-1 draw.

“We outplayed them and now at least seven of the players who
played against them in Dubai are not here with us in South Africa for the AYC.
We have a better team now than we had in Dubai.

He added: “We will not underrate any of our opponents because there could be
surprises. Every game in our group will be like a cup final. We just have to be
prepared.”

Nigeria’s Super Eagles will commence their defence of the WAFU
Cup of Nations with a game against the Eagles of Mali.

The draws ceremony on Thursday had the Super Eagles coming out
of the pot with the national teams of Niger and Liberia in Group A. Group B
consists of Senegal, Gambia, Togo and Ghana.

The ceremony took place under the supervision of the
secretary-general of the West Africa Football Union (WAFU), Aka Malan, in
Abeokuta and had in attendance football bigwigs, such as veteran Nigerian coach
Kashimawo Laloko and the sports commissioner of Ogun State, Bukola Olopade
amongst others.

The championship which will see eight countries competing for
the coveted trophy gets underway on May 5, 2011 at the 35,000 capacity Moshood
Abiola International Stadium, Abeokuta with the Nigerians taking on the
Malians.

It would be recalled that the WAFU Championship, which was
introduced in 1975, became moribund thereafter for nineteen years, but was
resuscitated by the Ogun State Government last year.

Nigeria won last year’s tournament after defeating Senegal in
the final.

In a related development, official draws of the 26th Edition of
the Eyadema Cup was also conducted yesterday with twelve clubs across West
Africa participating in the tournament scheduled to hold in Togo in December
2011.

The clubs include, Atletic De Coleah (Guinee), Horoya AC (Guinee), ASC Niary
Tally (Senegal), ASC Hlm (Senegal), Mighty Barrolle (Liberia), Watanga
(Liberia), Akonana FC d’ Arit (Niger), Dan Ka FC de Maradi (Niger), Aduana
Stars (Ghana), Kwara United (Nigeria) and Rangers International (Nigeria).

The national stadium, Surulere was agog with fans and
well-wishers on Thursday as the body of the late Super Eagles and Skoda Xanthi
defender, Olubayo Adefemi was laid to rest.

On hand to pay their last respects were Super Eagles coach,
Samson Siasia; former Nigerian goalkeeper, Ike Shorunmu; Nigeria Football
Federation (NFF) technical director Chris Green, family members, journalists,
and fans.

The day, which began with a lying-in-state at the national
stadium saw representatives from the NFF, sportswriters and fans pouring
encomiums on the late Adefemi.

Speaking on the loss, Siasia exclaimed that it was sad to lose a
player that young, stating that a promising career had been cut short by fate.

For his part, Yomi Opakunle, a journalist described the defender
as somebody who was God-fearing.

“He did not speak two sentences without acknowledging God,”
Opakunle said. “He was so humble and respectful.”

From the stadium to the
grave

From the national stadium, all roads led to the Atan Cemetery
where a brief ceremony was held.

Speaking at the graveside, Adesanya Adewara of the Celestial
Church of Christ, while delivering a sermon, admonished the crowd to examine
their lives.

“There is time for everything and I tell you, one day, each and
every one of us is going to answer the call, but the only thing that would
speak for us is the impact we have had on people,” he said.

He added: “Though Adefemi’s life was short, it was a life well
spent because of what we have heard about him.” He thereafter enjoined his well
wishers not to forget him and the legacies he was trying to leave behind.

Teammates speak

Some of his teammates also expressed sorrow at his demise. Yinka
Adedeji, Adefemi’s long-time friend, who also played alongside the late player
in the Flying Eagles, as well as in the Olympic team, explained that Adefemi’s
demise would leave a gap in his heart.

“The extent of love, which we have for each other as a team and
as individuals is great and we are going to miss him,” he said.

“To me, Olubayo was more than a friend, he is a brother. We have
been very close; we are just like five and six.

“I have so many memories of him and one thing is that he would
be remembered forever. His memory would forever linger in my heart,” Adedeji
concluded.

Goalkeeper for the team that won silver in the U-20 World Cup in
2005, Ambrose Vanzekin, explained that it still unbelievable to him that his
former teammate is no more.

“For me, he is a brother, he is a friend and we have been
together in the national team for a long time,” said Vanzekin.

“The first time I heard about it, I could not believe my ears
because it was like a dream. I could not go to train that morning. The way I am
now, I have not been myself since I heard the news.

“I have not been able to play games; I told my coach that I was
not psychologically fit. He was a brother to us, we started the whole thing and
it is so sad when you see one of your numbers gone. I pray God would help his
family to be able to bear the loss.”

Vanzekin also spoke about the one recurring memory he has of the
late defender.

“Every time he scored a goal, he had a special way of
celebrating it. He would act like he was riding a boat and this is what I
continue to see when I think about him and that is one memory I would never
forget of him.”

Adefemi is survived by an aged mother, sisters, brother, nephews and nieces.

Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov has recovered from a groin injury and will be fit for the Premier League leaders’ trip to Arsenal, manager Alex Ferguson said Friday.

Ferguson is planning to make changes for Sunday’s game at the Emirates and Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Schalke 04 as he gears up for a potential title decider against Chelsea next weekend.

That could pave the way for Berbatov, the Premier League’s top scorer with 21 goals, to feature after often becoming a peripheral player with Mexican goal poacher Javier Hernandez preferred as a strike partner for Wayne Rooney.

“He’s trained all week … he’s available,” Ferguson told a news conference.

“I’ve got a strong squad, I can make a few changes if I want to Sunday, I can make changes Wednesday also.”

United, chasing a record 19th league title, were also boosted by news that midfielder Darren Fletcher has recovered from a virus that sidelined him for two months and could return against Schalke, where his team hold a 2-0 advantage in the tie.

“I’ll possibly include him in Wednesday’s game, maybe get 45 minutes out of him,” Ferguson said.

“He’s put the weight back on, he’s working hard in the gymnasium, he’s a great addition to the squad at this time of year having missed a couple of months.”

Six weeks ago, Sunday’s match looked like it would go a long way to deciding the title as Arsenal were three points behind United with a game in hand.

Since then, a series of draws stalled the London side’s campaign before last weekend’s 2-1 defeat by Bolton Wanderers marked the end of any realistic challenge, while Chelsea have launched a late bid to defend their title.

But by the time Chelsea visit Old Trafford next Sunday, United could be in a position to wrap up the title under the current champions’ noses.

With four matches to play, United lead the standings with 73 points, with second-placed Chelsea on 67 and Arsenal a further three points behind in third.

“I think that there is still drama ahead, the teams at the top will drop points, including Chelsea,” Ferguson said. “If we get to the last game needing to win (home game against Blackpool) to win the league I’ll be happy with that.”

REUTERS

Super
Eagles coach, Samson Siasia could not hold back tears as he walked past
the casket of Adefemi Olubayo, who was yesterday buried at the Atan
Cemetery in Lagos.

Siasia, clad in all
black attire, just like the hundreds of football fans at the indoor
sports hall of the National Stadium; venue of the lying in state
ceremony for the former Super Eagles defender, was downcast and hardly
audible when he struggled to answer questions from journalists.

“He was my boy” he
said. “Olubayo was very close to me, he was very humble and also a
focused player, Nigeria will miss him greatly”

The Beijing
Olympics silver-winning coach said he will meet with other Super Eagles
players to fashion how they could best support the family of Adefemi,
who was the bread winner of his family before his tragic death in
Greece.

“As a team we
cannot force any of the players to do something special for the late
Olubayo Adefemi or to promise anything on their behalf, but we can
advise to that effect. What we will suggest and advise the players to
do, is to support the family of Adefemi in a way that it would have a
long, lasting and positive effect on his family,” said Siasia.

Siasia could best
be described as Olubayo’s mentor, nurturing him to stardom right from
the Africa Youth Championships in Benin Republic (2005) then to the
World Youth Championships (2005) in Holland and also to the Olympic
Football event in Beijing (2008).

Adefemi died on
April 18, 2011, in an automobile accident in Greece. Greek police said
the 25-year old defender, who played for Skoda Xanthi, lost control of
his car on the Egnatia motorway while driving from Xanthi to Salonika
in the Kavala region of the country. He was reportedly on his way to
Nigeria to finalise details of his wedding when the accident happened.

Already the Nigeria
Football Federation, through its technical director Chris Green, has
promised to immortalise Adefemi who was regarded has a patriotic
Nigerian.

“He is a shining example to other upcoming players; he puts in his
best each time he is called to serve his country on the pitch. We will
definitely immortalise him” he said.