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Nigeria aim for WYC semis

Posted by BBC Sports on 2005/06/25 | Views: 658 |

Nigeria aim for WYC semis


Nigeria are hoping to make it to the semi-finals of the World Youth Championship when they take on hosts Holland on Saturday.

Nigeria are hoping to make it to the semi-finals of the World Youth Championship when they take on hosts Holland on Saturday.

If Nigeria win they will face Morocco in the last four and so guarantee Africa a team in the final.

The Flying Eagles surprised many observers by making it past the group stages, thanks to a 0-0 draw with Brazil, a 2-1 loss to South Korea and then an easy 3-0 win over Switzerland.

Then in the quarter-finals they edged out a powerful Ukraine side in the last 16 thanks to a late goal from Taye Taiwo.

Now the Nigerians face an even tougher task as they take on their hosts Holland in front of a partisan crowd.

Despite the fact the Dutch have conceded just one goal at the tournament so far, Nigeria's coach Samson Siasia is not overawed.

"Sure, Holland are a very good team and have not conceded many goals, but my defenders have been playing brilliantly as well," he told the Fifa website.

"Since losing concentration in our second game (against Korea) we have not conceded a goal either."

Siasia also knows how his team needs to improve.

"We need to take more of our chances," he added.

"A good striker creates chances, but a perfect striker finishes off those chances.

"We need our strikers to get a little closer to that kind of production.

"But you always need a little luck, and for a fullback to score the winner in a game as tight as the one against Ukraine is a ray of good fortune.

"The game against Holland will be a difficult game for us, but also for them," he added with an ominous grin.


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