Efe Ehigie
Gallant Golden Eaglets of Nigeria failed the lottery of penalty kicks 9 -10 to Guinea in the first semi final game of the CAF Under 17 tournament at the national stadium in Dares salaam played on Wednesday evening.
It was a very physical encounter between the two West African football giants that created few anxious moments in the first half. Although the Guineans had more of the possession and showed much aggression as they tried to break the defence of the Golden Eaglets with Sunday Stephen making a save in the 6th minute.
Golden Eaglets gradually found their rhythm with Fawaz Abdullahi winning the midfield tussle, as he combined well with Akinwunmi Amoo, who located Wisdom Ubani with a pass , but the striker’s low drive missed the target in the 18th minute.
The first half did not create much for the Golden Eaglets. Amoo, who was not really having a good day was replaced in the 45th minute for Olakunle Olusegun as the two – time African champions went into the break to strategize on how to subdue the fierce tackling Guineans, whose Sekou Bangoura got a yellow card for his ferocious tackle on Fawaz in the first half.
The second half saw a more purposeful Eaglets playing with much vigour as they tried to take the game to their opponents in search of goal, but hard tackling Guineans denied them the opportunity of having a free flowing game through incessant infringements on the mobile Eaglets.
The trio of Junior Syli stars of Guinea players , Ibrahim Fofona, Algasimeh Bah and Mahmoud Bangoura were booked by the Referee for their offences against the Golden Eaglets in the second half.
In the 70th minute , Ubani controlled the ball beautifully, beats his two markers, side foot to the left, but his final effort could not rattle the goalkeeper.
Three minutes later, the striker hit a powerful shot from a set piece from 30metres that was deflected by the wall and grazed the bar.
The clock was tickling away as Fawaz made an attempt to score inside the box in the 89th minute, but his shot was deflected out of danger by a Guinean defender.
It was a game destined for 90 minutes of goalless encounter as the referee signalled the end of the the game and pointed straight to penalty kicks.
The lottery of penalties became very tensed. The players on both sides were accurate scoring from the first set of five kicks before it went to sudden death. Unfortunately, David Oduko, the 10th player to take his kick for the Eaglets , hit the ball into the sky to end the game on the losing side for the five – time FIFA Under 17 World Champions.
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