Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets head coach, Manu Garba has enjoined his youngsters to take a cue from the U-23 team’s inspiring 5-4 win over Japan in their opening group B match at the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament Rio 2016 in the early hours of Friday.
The Eaglets will today face the Junior Menas of Niger Republic in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) U-17 qualifier billed for the National Stadium, Abuja.
The 2013 FIFA World Cup-winning coach during the team’s last training session on Friday’s morning, tasked the lads to imbibe the never-say-die Nigerian spirit when they take on the Junior Menas today.
“I want to announce to you that our U-23 team early this morning beat Japan 5-4 and this should also inspire us when we play against Niger; the U-23 team showed good spirit and won despite arriving Brazil shortly before the match; we must ensure that we win our own game here with as many goals as possible on Saturday,” the former Flying Eagles tactician said.
Meanwhile, Mr Soumou Flavien Serge from Congo Brazzaville will be the referee for today’s game.
He will be on duty alongside compatriots – Bantaba Sabhas Gislain (first assistant), Diawa Triton Franck Audiard (second assistant) and Nkounkou Mvoutou Messie Oved (reserve referee), while the match commissioner is Fred Crentsil, from Ghana.