Golden Eaglets beat Kaduna’s Ace FC 1-0 in Calabar Friendly

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Nigeria’s Under-17 team, Golden Eaglets, on Saturday wrought another win courtesy of a first half goal by winger Promise Orji against a promising Kaduna-based Ace Football Club at the Abraham Ordia Stadium inside the University of Calabar.
Golden Eaglets' line up

“Maybe we would have even played better than we did against the Golden Eaglets today, “volunteered Ace FC’s Coach Al-Amin Ibn-Musa.”We didn’t arrive Calabar until the early hours of the day but that should not take anything away from the victory of the Golden Eaglets because they played a good match against us.”

Both team used the early part of the match to size up each other but it was Ace FC that nearly went in front in the 10th minute after Uzama Douglas conceded a free kick in front of the Golden Eaglets’ goal area; but goalkeeper Ebuka Nwokeocha making just his second starting line up held firmly to Shefiu Dauda’s resultant free kick.

Then in the 39th minute, Eaglets’ midfielder, Jack Ipalibo finally came out of his shell by snaking his way through the left flank before slicing a cross on the path of Orji; who leverly evaded on rushing Ace’s defender, Christopher Nwaeze, before hitting the ball behind goalkeeper Nurudeen Mudashir.

Thereafter, there were few chances in between but it was Nwokeocha’s agility that robbed the Kaduna lads the opportunity of getting the needed equalizer time and again. In the 79th, Nwokoecha deflected a goal-bound shot from Nwaze and equally did a Yeoman’s job in the 85th
minute when he punched away a blind header by Peter Obochi.

Yet unimpressed with the team’s overall performance, Coach Emmanuel Amuneke gave his wards ‘hairdryer’ asking them to gird their loins in the days ahead:”We don’t need to remind you every time that this is a national team and there is a certain standard expected from us but I’m not impressed with your performance today.

“Of course, we are constantly evaluating ourselves with this sort of matches and we must continue to show why we are in the national team with better performance always, “advised the former African Footballer of the Year.

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