Eaglets hit Yuguda Boys 2 – 1

Golden Eaglets made it two wins in as many test matches following a -1 triumph over Yuguda Boys at the NFF/FIFA Goal Project in Abuja yesterday.
Two goals in each half by Suleiman Abdullahi and Kehinde Ayinde put the new U-17  recruits in front but the youngsters from Bauchi eventually  pulled one back via a penalty kick  barely a minute to the end of the match.

In attendance to watch the mid-morning match were Alhaji Mohammed Fresh, board member and chairman of the NFF’s youth committee and former Nigerian international, Patrick Pascal, Muhammed Musa, the inspirational captain of the 2013 Golden, among others.

However, it was the Yuguda Boys that nearly went in front in the 34th minute when a well-struck free kick by Babaji Abubakar on the periphery of the box was punched away by Amos Benjamin.
Golden Eaglets’ first goal, however,  came in  the 44th minute when petit  Kehinde Ayinde broke free from the right flank and after evading his shadows, he flicked a pass to Henry Akibi who in turn linked  Suleiman Abdullahi to slot home the first goal.
On resumption, the Eaglets increased the tempo of the game as substitute Kelechi Nwakali combined beautifully with Ayinde to terrorize their guests.

In the 79th minute, Kelechi swiftly launched an offensive spearheaded by Ayinde who rounded up defence and goalkeeper Sani to tap the ball into an empty net for the second goal of the highly-charged encounter.
The Yuguda Boys did not give up as they piled up pressure on the Eaglets’ defence that eventually conceded a penalty which was converted by Ibrahim Yahaya barely a minute to the end of the match.
Both head coach Emmanuel Amuneke and Bala Maijama’a Umar of Yuguda Boys praised the gallantry of the two sides:
He noted: “Frankly, I am with the Eaglets bearing in mind that they are just putting them together.

“It was a good opportunity for us too to ascertain the
readiness of our boys before going for a youth tournament in
Portugal.”