Eaglets to wear green against Mexico

news24

Abuja - Nigeria’s U-17 team, Golden Eaglets will wear the traditional home green colour jerseys in their deciding semi-final match against Baby El Tri of Mexico at the Estadio Municipal Ester Roa on Thursday.

This much was confirmed by FIFA after the Match Coordination Meeting on Wednesday whereby details of Match No. 50 of the FIFA U-17 World Cup Chile 2015 were spelt out and kick off time fixed for 12:00 midnight Nigerian time which is 8:00pm Chilean local time. 

The Baby El Tri would spot on their registered white attire with black shorts. Golden Eaglets' goal keeping trio of Akpan Udoh, Amos Benjamin and Chisom Chiaha will be in yellow attire. Officials for the match were picked from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Mohammed Abdulla Hassan Mohamed has been confirmed as the centre referee.

The two assistants are Emirati duo of Mohammed Alhammadi and Hassan Almahri while the fourth official is DiegoHaro from Peru.

Two players from the two teams have effectively been ruled out of the semi-final match after collecting two yellow cards in previous matches hence Ulises Torres (Mexico) and Funsho Bamgboye would be in the stands while their teammates jostle for glory. Meanwhile, Golden Eaglets' assistant coach, Kabiru Baleria is confident that Nigeria would extend her winning streak at the U-17 World Cup level over Mexico in Thursday's semifinal. 

Both countries have met previously three times and Nigeria claimed victories in their last two meetings in the UAE including a 6-1 win in the group phase and another 3-0 win in the Final Match that ensured the West African a record fourth title. El Tri only win was the 1-0 defeat of Golden Eaglets at Canada 1987. “By the grace of God, we are going to win on Thursday,” Baleria, former youth international who narrowly missed the Golden Eaglets’ trip to Canada in 1987. “Our boys are ready and we are praying to God for good results in our remaining matches starting with Mexico on Thursday.”