TheCable

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has commended the U-17 national team, the Golden Eaglets, for earning a place at the FIFA U-17 World Cup finals taking place in Chile later in the year.

A first half strike from Eric Mayo ensured that the Amajimbos of South Africa edged the Eaglets 1-0 in the semi-final clash of the 11th African U-17 Championship in Niamey.

But NFF president, Amaju Pinnick, declared that the defeat has not diminished the value of the Eaglets’ accomplishment.

“Certainly, every Nigerian yearned for the Eaglets to win the African championship trophy in Niger after the boys reached the semi-finals. They lost by a lone goal but we cannot accuse the players of lack of effort,” he said.

“The present NFF administration has continued to harp on the fact that it is not only concerned with winning trophies. We want to win trophies but more than that, we want to build a sustainable football culture.”

Pinnick assured that the boys will not be treated like outcasts following the failure to reach the championship final.

“The NFF will send a jet to pick the players after the third place match on Sunday. The technical crew remains intact and the NFF will give support to them to plug the necessary holes in the team so that we will have a squad capable of doing the nation proud in Chile.”