Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets, the defending champions, are on the cusp today of a fifth FIFA Under-17 World Cup diadem, and clinching it would equal the benchmark set by Brazil which won the senior World Cup for the fifth time in 2002.
Brazil won all its five senior titles away from home. A triumph for Nigeria today will also equal that record at the U-17 level.
The Eaglets will file out against the Les Aiglonnets at the Estadio Sausalito Stadium in Vina Del Mar, Chile in the final of the 2015 edition.
This is the second all-African final in the U-17 gig, after the one between Nigeria and Ghana in Japan in 1993; which Nigeria won 2-1 to grab its second title, having won the maiden edition in China in 1985.
Nigeria’s goals in that final were scored by Wilson Oruma and Peter Ikechukwu Anosike.
Advantage Mali
But today’s match will not be a walk over, despite the reputation of the Eaglets. While they are the defending world champions, the Les Aiglonnets are the current continental U-17 champions.
It is always easier for Nigeria to beat a team from outside Africa. Besides, Mali will be keen to prove a point against Nigeria, the most populous and most popular country on the African continent.
Mali has the psychological advantage since it defeated all comers in the African Championship where Nigeria only managed to come third to qualify for Chile.
The Malians are fitter, faster, and stronger.
Clipping their wings
The only way out is for Coach Emmanuel Amuneke to curtail them and stop these taller opponents from running rings round the Eaglets.
And the Eaglets must take their chances. Two quick goals will devastate the Malians and put the Eaglets in good stead for victory.
On balance, this all African final is too close to call. What is not in doubt, however, is that the world will be treated to wonderful football artistry by Africa’s Generation Next.
Mali, the impressive outsiders, overcame Belgium in the semi final; Nigeria beat Mexico. Both teams came from a goal down to snatch victory.
The Eaglets booked themselves a place in the final for an astonishing eighth time in 11 attempts by beating Mexico 4-2; and the Les Aiglonnets reached their first ever final courtesy of a resounding 3-1 win against Belgium.
Record both ways
Nigeria is looking for a record trophy. Victor Osimhen sets his sights on goals record.
He has equalled the long-standing U-17 World Cup scoring record of nine goals in a tournament following his goal in the 4-2 defeat of Mexico last Thursday at the Estadio Municipal in Concepcion.
The record was previously jointly held by Frenchman Florent Pongolle (top scorer in Trinidad & Tobago in 2001) and Ivoirien Souleymane Coulibaly (top scorer in Mexico in 2011).
At Chile 2015, Osimhen has equalled the seven-goal record of Nigeria’s Macauley Chrisantus (2007); Spain’s David (1997); Ghana’s Ismael Addo (1999); and Sweden’s Berisha (2013).
Osimhen, the Eaglets’ leading scorer before the tournament with 41 goals in 73 international and domestic matches, opened his Chile account with a goal in the 2-0 win over the United States on the opening day.
He scored a brace in the 5-1 defeat of host Chile and was Nigeria’s scorer in the 2-1 loss to Croatia to round off the group phase.
Osimhen was also in superb form in the knockout stage by notching the first hat trick in Chile in the crushing 6-0 defeat of Australia.
He followed up with a goal each in the 3-0 win against Brazil in the quarter final and 4-2 defeat of Mexico in the semi final.
He is now on the threshold of scoring the most goals in a single tournament at the U-17 World Cup.
Amuneke relishes the all-African final against the continental champions but has admitted that defending the world title in this circumstance is a big task.
“We are happy to be in the final and have the chance to defend the world title. Mali is a good team, Africa’s champion. This is going to be an interesting challenge,” he said.
Mali dares Nigeria
Les Aiglonnets Coach, Baye Ba, has dared the Golden Eaglets.
He said immediately after the victory over Belgium: “For the final, I do not care if it’s Mexico or Nigeria. I just want to face a team that we can beat. We faced a very good team (Belgium) that has tired us.
“We conceded a quick opening goal, and we had to react quickly. It was very hard tactically and we ran a lot to get the win.
“We had a bad start in this game, which does not happen often to my players despite their young age.”
Mexico and Belgium will play for the third place before the final tonight.
Nigeria from 1985
Nigeria won the maiden edition of U-17 World Cup in 1985 in China (which was sponsored by Kodak. The tournament was then known as the U-16 tournament), 1993, 2007, and 2013. It was the first team to win it four times.
It also won the African U-17 Championship in 2001 and 2007, and was runner-up in 1995.
Heading into the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup, Head Coach, Henry Nwosu, was replaced by John Obuh, Coach of Kwara United.
In 2011, planning was thrown into disarray in August when over half the team was determined by bone scanning to be over aged and excluded from the team.
Although Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2011 edition, it participated in 2013.
In its first match, the team defeated the defending champions, Mexico, 6-1. It failed to beat Sweden in the group stage but did in the semi final.
In the final match, Nigeria met and defeated Mexico for a second time to become the only country to win the cup four times so far.
Mali from 1997
This is Mali’s fourth appearance at this tournament, and the Les Aiglonnets have achieved a feat no other Malian side at any age category has managed: progressing to the showpiece match of a FIFA competition.
The Malians enjoyed a run of their previous three appearances, starting in 1997 and ending in 2001.
In 1997, they were denied a place in the semi final through a penalty shootout against Germany when Seydou Keita missed his side’s fifth penalty.
However, Keita went on to win international fame and played for Marseille, Barcelona, and Roma.
Mali crashed out in the first round in 1999, but in 2001 it again came agonisingly close to a place in the top four – denied by Argentina with a 2-1 loss after extra time.
Mali only qualified for the finals of the 2015 African Championships due to an administrative mistake made by Benin Republic which fielded four ineligible players in the first round of qualifying.
That championship was held in Niger Republic, where the Malians had few problems, topping their group after victories against Cameroon (3-1), Cote d’Ivoire (1-0), and drawing with South Africa (2-2).
There was more on offer as Mali beat Guinea 2-1 in the semi final and outplayed South Africa 2-0 to win its first ever continental trophy.
