Siasia, Pinnick back U-23 Eagles to beat Senegal

Nifemi Daniel

Nigeria U-23 Eagles coach, Samson Siasia, has warned his players that ‘It’s No Retreat No Surrender’ situation as they battle Senegal in the first semifinal of the U-23 Cup of Nations in Dakar on Wednesday.

Both teams clashed at the men’s football event of the 11th All-Africa Games in Brazzaville in September, with Nigeria scoring a last –minute goal to tie the match 1-1.

Siasia said: “We are not going back home empty –handed; it’s no retreat, no surrender. We have to get ourselves ready for the game; it’s going to be a difficult one. It’s going to be eleven players against eleven, so we have our chances to qualify.”

Siasia is confident that his team will bounce back stronger despite his poor defensive record of conceding four goals in three games.

“We have learnt our lessons. Two games in which the first half looked good and the last half didn’t. We made our corrections and you can see from how we played in the last game.”

The former Super Eagles coach added that for now, he is using FIFA U-17 World Cup sensation Victor Osimhen sparingly, so that the boy doesn’t get consumed by the occasion.

Meanwhile, Nigeria Football Federation President, Amaju Pinnick, wants the players to show no mercy when launching onslaughts and do everything to keep the rearguard tight against the rampaging Senegalese.

“It is not going to be easy playing against the host nation that is high on confidence, having won all their three group phase matches. Extra effort will be needed in all departments; hardwork and courage are critical virtues that the U-23 boys must take to heart on Wednesday,” he added.

Nigeria, 1996 champions and 2008 vice champions, missed the 2012 Olympics as Coach Austin Eguavoen’s Class of 2011 lost out at the inaugural Africa U-23 Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Wednesday’s clash will take place at the Stade Leopold Sedar Senghor, where Siasia scored Nigeria’s first goal in a 2-1 defeat of host Senegal in the opening match of the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations.

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