Eaglets Zoom Into AFCON Finals

Golden Eaglets are through to the final of the 2013 CAN Under-17 Championship after burying the ghost of Tunisia in a 4-2 win in an otherwise tense semi-final match at Stade de Marrakech on Wednesday to set up an all West – African derby against Cote d'Ivoire on Saturday.

Cote d’Ivoire, who beat hosts Morocco 2-1 in the first semis on Tuesday, had earlier inflicted a 1-0 defeat to Nigeria in their Group B match and it remains to be seen what would happen in three days time.

However, goals by Kelechi Iheanacho, Success Isaac and a brace by Musa Yahaya were enough to kill off the resilient Tunisians in a dramatic game under the searing sun in Marrakech.

Nigeria started well with three well-taken goals under the first 20 minutes. Iheanacho scored the curtain raiser as early as the second minute for his fifth goal of the tournament when he slotted the ball behind Ben Hamza in goal for Tunisia.
Yahaya scored the second goal in the 11th minute when he drove the ball into the net following a swift exchange from Iheanacho. Twenty minutes into the match, Success added another goal when he pushed in a loose ball following a corner kick from Chidiebere Nwakali.

“We are very happy to qualify for the final because our aim was to come here and win this trophy and make Nigerians happy," Chidera Ezeh said at the post match conference.

"We are happy to be in the final and as usual, we would be waiting for instructions from our coaches to play against Cote d'Ivoire in the final."

Coach Manu Garba (MFR) in his characteristic manner gave thanks to God for helping the team reached the final stage of the championship even as he promised the Ivorians a tougher game.

“The final match against Cote d'Ivoire on Saturday is going to be a different ball game because we were unlucky when they beat us 1-0 in the group stage," he said.

"We are going to play a better game because we now know them better."

Tunisian coach Ben Soltane Abdelhay equally admitted that it was a difficult game for both teams albeit admitted that the Nigerians were stronger and deserved their place in the final.
“It was a tough match for us because Nigeria was stronger physically," he said.

"The temperature affected us too but that is not taking anything away from Nigeria."

Saturday's final between Nigeria and Cote d'Ivoire will be the first at this level but it will be Nigeria's fourth final appearance. The Golden Eaglets conquered the continent twice in 2001 and 2007 but were unsuccessful in 1995.