Winning is nothing, but sustaining the victory and measuring up to the challenges that the victory attracts is everything, former secretary general of the then Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Taiwo Ogunjobi, seems to be telling the Nigerian U-20 football team.
The Flying Eagles was last week crowned champions of the 19th Africa Youth Championships (AYC), as it defeated the host, Senegal, by a lone goal in a thrilling final match last Sunday night at the 45,000-capacity Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium.
A stunning goal from Bernard Bulbwa in the first half was all that was required for Nigeria to lift her seventh AYC trophy.
Ogunjobi gave this charge on the heels of the team’s qualification for the FIFA World Youth Championship (WYC) billed for New Zealand from May 30 to June 20 this year.
With the continent’s first position in its kitty, Nigeria has been drawn with Brazil, Hungary and Korea DPR in Group E.
He said: “We should put the victory of the AYC behind us now and begin preparation for the WYC, which is just around the corner.
“I heard people saying the group is not a tough one, but I don’t want to believe them. Rather, I want the team through the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to begin preparations now.
“The NFF officials should give all necessary support needed to the team now and equip them well for the task at hand.”
Nigeria’s first game will be against five-time champions, Brazil, at the Stadium Taranaki, New Plymouth, on June 1.
New Zealand was zoned in Group A against Myanmar, Ukraine and the United States of America, while Ghana will face a stiff challenge in Group B, having been zoned against Argentina, Austria and Panama.
Mali, Colombia, Portugal and Qatar will campaign in Group C, just as last edition’s runner-up, Uruguay, will battle Senegal, Mexico and Serbia in Group D.
Group F will see Fiji, Germany, Honduras and Uzbekistan doing battle in the championship.
Senegal came into the AYC with the intention of avenging the 3-1 defeat it suffered in the hands of Nigerians in the opening day of the championship, but were halted by goalkeeper Joshua Enaholo’s brilliance.
Ghana’s Yaw Yeboah was named Player of the Tournament, as Bulbwa got the man of the match, while Musa Muhammed won the top scorer’s award with four goals all gotten from the penalty spot.