Nigeria 2009 Support group

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Comment by Moses K Tawose on November 16, 2009 at 3:23pm

We cannot win it all. They gave it their all, but it was not meant to be. Don't let it get into our head somebody must win and the other won such is life. Let's give thanks that we're priviledged that's what matters.

Comment by Osamuyi on November 16, 2009 at 1:31am

Steely Swiss claim first crown.
Debutants Switzerland were not at all troubled by the 60,000-plus hostile fans in Abuja’s hulking National Stadium, beating hosts and holders Nigeria 1-0 in the capital to hoist aloft the FIFA U-17 World Cup trophy on Sunday. The win, which came thanks to a steely defensive effort and a second-half header by Haris Seferovic, marks the first time a Swiss national team – any age, any gender – has ever laid claim to a FIFA title.

The hosts came out like a house on fire, putting heavy pressure on the Swiss and creating a handful of scoring chances inside the opening five minutes. First, Abdul Ajagun – hero of the quarter-final with the Koreans in Calabar – hit a wicked shot from 18 yards that Charyl Chappuis had to clear off the line. The Dolphin striker then repeated the dose just seconds later to give the Switzerland defence a real scare. Next, and after just four minutes, Aigbe Oliha’s effort from distance had Swiss goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist scrambling to turn it away.

A lengthy pause in the action – with injuries to Ajagun and Siegrist after a collision – marked the moment when the Swiss finally carved out their first chance. Predictably, it came on the end of a counter-attack in the 12th minute. Defender Janick Kamber roared into the attack and forced the diminutive Nigerian net-minder Dami Paul into a fine diving save.

Things settled down a bit after a ferocious opening quarter-hour, but the smashing and dynamic Nigerians continued to pile pressure on their stunned hosts. A nice piece of service from the right, after some fine interplay between Edafe Egbedi and Oliha, nearly picked out Sani Emmanuel. But the supersub-turned-starter failed to make proper contact with his header from six yards. With a little over five minutes to go in the opening period, Ramon Azeez had a good chance from a set-piece that he could only manage to blaze over the bar. Creating all the chances, but failing to convert, the Nigerians – who had an excellent chance through Emmanuel in the dying moments – went into the changing rooms looking a little nervous, while the Swiss were happy just to be all-square.

The Swiss came out of their defensive shell at the start of the second half, and Haris Seferovic had a golden chance to put the Europeans into the lead in the 57th minute. Turning well at the edge of the area, the Grasshopper Zurich ace somehow conspired to hit his left-footed drive wide with the whole goal to shoot at. He made amends only six minutes later, however, when he leaped highest in the Nigerian penalty area to head a corner-kick over Paul and into the far corner for his fifth goal of the tournament.

The hosts, stunned into response, poured everything forward in a frenzied attack. In the end, though, the best efforts of Emmanuel, Ajagun and Okoro (who hit against the bar with a quarter-hour to go) failed to find a way through as the disappointed hosts miss out on claiming their fourth overall and second consecutive U-17 title. The Swiss, who win their first-ever international crown, can take tremendous pride in being the first team at these finals to keep the previously free-flowing hosts off the scoreboard.

Comment by Osamuyi on November 9, 2009 at 7:45pm

Teams - Top goals
Team GF GFA MP
Spain 13 3.3 4
Switzerland 13 2.6 5
Nigeria 11 2.8 4
Germany 10 2.5 4
Turkey 9 1.8 5

Teams - Top cards
Team Y 2YC R MP
Switzerland 12 1 2 5
Argentina 12 1 0 4
Turkey 10 1 1 5
Colombia 14 0 0 5
Iran 10 1 0 4

Players - Top goals
Player GF PEN MP
URU Sebastian GALLEGOS 4 1 3
ESP Sergi ROBERTO 3 0 3
SUI Nassim BEN KHALIFA 3 1 5
GER Mario GOETZE 3 0 4
GER Lennart THY 3 0 4

Players - Top cards
Player Y 2YC R MP
COL Fabian CASTILLO 4 0 0 3
BFA Dalhata SORO 2 0 1 4
IRN Omid ALISHAH 3 0 0 2
UAE ABDULRAHMAN YOUSUF 3 0 0 3
SUI Sead HAJROVIC 1 0 1 4

Comment by Osamuyi on November 9, 2009 at 7:35pm

Groups
Group A Team MP W D L GF GA Pts
Nigeria Nigeria 3 2 1 0 6 4 7
Argentina Argentina 3 2 0 1 4 3 6
Germany Germany 3 1 1 1 7 6 4
Honduras Honduras 3 0 0 3 1 5 0

Group B Team MP W D L GF GA Pts
Switzerland Switzerland 3 3 0 0 7 3 9
Mexico Mexico 3 2 0 1 3 2 6
Brazil Brazil 3 1 0 2 3 4 3
Japan Japan 3 0 0 3 5 9 0

Group C Team MP W D L GF GA Pts
Iran Iran 3 2 1 0 3 0 7
Colombia Colombia 3 1 2 0 4 3 5
Netherlands Netherlands 3 1 0 2 3 4 3
Gambia Gambia 3 0 1 2 3 6 1

Group D Team MP W D L GF GA Pts
Turkey Turkey 3 2 1 0 6 2 7
Burkina Faso Burkina Faso 3 1 1 1 5 3 4
New Zealand New Zealand 3 0 3 0 3 3 3
Costa Rica Costa Rica 3 0 1 2 3 9 1


Group E Team MP W D L GF GA Pts
Spain Spain 3 3 0 0 9 3 9
USA USA 3 2 0 1 3 2 6
U.A.E U.A.E 3 1 0 2 3 4 3
Malawi Malawi 3 0 0 3 1 7 0


Group F Team MP W D L GF GA Pts
Italy Italy 3 2 1 0 3 1 7
Korea Republic 3 2 0 1 6 3 6
Uruguay Uruguay 3 1 1 1 3 3 4
Algeria Algeria 3 0 0 3 0 5 0

Comment by Lilwaynelord on November 4, 2009 at 12:42am

By d grace of god 9ja will lift d cup and we shall make history that we host d cup then we still lift it up

Comment by Osamuyi on October 31, 2009 at 10:42pm

I wish Omoh Ojabu a speedy rcovery .

Comment by Osamuyi on October 31, 2009 at 10:41pm

Perfect Swiss stun Brazil

Switzerland kept up their hugely impressive form at Nigeria 2009, beating Brazil 1-0 to keep up their perfect record and finish Group A in first place. Despite heavy pressure from the South Americans, a goal from Nassim Ben Khalifa in the first half was enough to settle the contest in Abuja 1-0. With Mexico winning the other game in the section and finishing second, Brazil - with only three points - now face a nervy wait to see if they can squeak through as one of the top third-place finishers.

The Brazilians came out flying at the start of the game, but Switzerland quickly got hold of the contest with some efficient build-ups and smooth attacking play. After only 20 minutes they had carved out a good opening and put themselves into the lead. Pajtim Kasami forced Brazilian goalkeeper Allison into a fine save from a corner kick, but the defence failed to clear the danger as Nassim Ben Khalifa headed the rebound into an open goal.

Stunned by the setback, Brazil roared forward in search of an equaliser. Coutinho was looking like the South Americans' danger man, and he twice tested Swiss keeper Benjamin Siegrist. As the first half wound down, though, the Swiss had a chance to double their lead and the Brazilians also looked capable of grabbing an equaliser.

The South Americans came out from the changing rooms desperately searching for a breakthrough and in the 53rd minute Coutinho turned his man inside out before trying a shot from inside the area that was batted away by the Swiss defence. The outstanding Coutinho continued to torment the Swiss defence as the half wore on, with the Europeans looking consistently dangerous on the counter-attack. In the 63rd minute, Xhaka laid the ball in for Oliver Buff, whose shot was miraculously saved by Allison.

Ten minutes later, Coutinho had a rifle shot from close in somehow blocked off the line by Andre Goncalves as the Brazilians just could not find their way past a determined Swiss rearguard. As the final whistle approached, the Brazilian attacks were beginning to look irresistible. With ten minutes to go, Goncalves - seconds earlier the hero - was sent off for a petulant outburst. Even with a numerical advantage, the Brazilians could not find their way in and sulked off the pitch after a second straight loss.

The Swiss finish top of Group A with a perfect nine points from their three games, while Brazil, having collected just three points, face a nervous wait to see if they came stumble through as one of the top third-place finishers.

Comment by Weboga on October 31, 2009 at 8:14pm

Talk and chat about the Performance of our boys ! Publicity for FIFA under17 world cup "Nigeria 2009"

Comment by Weboga on October 31, 2009 at 5:55pm

After going a goal down early against Argentina in their final Group A game in Bauchi, hosts and holders Nigeria stormed back to win 2-1 and book their place in the knockout stages as section winners. Argentina, who went into the game already assured of qualification, will have to settle for second place.

Nigeria's first game away from the capital began at a torrid pace. Barely had two minutes ticked off the clock than the Argentine guests - already assured of a place in the knockout rounds and with many changes in the squad - offered their hosts no favours by scoring the opener. After quite a nice build-up, Esteban Orfano took control of the ball, burst into the area and slammed a left-footer home to stunned silence from the home crowd.

The Bauchi faithful didn't have long to wait for their beloved Golden Eaglets to draw level when, in the fifth minute, a corner kick was flicked on expertly at the near post by Kenneth Omeruo, for Omoh Ojabu to push home from six yards out.

The game began to calm down a bit after the madcap start, with both sides settling into their rhythm. The hosts were hampered when scorer Ojabu injured his knee and needed to be replaced in the 31st minute, Sani Emmanuel replacing him. The new man missed a golden chance to score just two minutes after coming on. Damian Martinez spilled a shot from distance, but Emmanuel somehow conspired to chip his rebound from six yards over the bar with the goal at his mercy. Shortly after, the Argentine keeper was at work again when he pushed Ramon Azeez's dangerous snap shot from 30 yards around the post.

The Nigerians began the second half hunting a winner and putting Argentina on the back foot. Finally, after multiple waves of attack, they got the breakthrough they needed when Federico Rasmussen hauled down Olarenwaju Kayode in the penalty area. Substitute Emmanuel, of all people, stepped up bravely to make amends for his profligate earlier miss to hammer home a perfect penalty and make it 2-1 for the hosts.

With seven points from their three Group A games, Nigeria are through to the knockout stages as first-place in the section. Argentina finish second with six points, while Germany, who beat Honduras in their game in Abuja, will go through as one of the top third-place finishers.