Following their 1-1 draw with Mauritania in a 2019 Africa U20 Nations Cup Qualifier the Flying Eagles Delegation were held to a special dinner and reception by the Nigerian Community in the capital, Nouakchott,National Daily gathered.
Speaking at the ceremony the Nigerian Ambassador to Mauritania Salisu Umaru commended the team for their performance while also urging them to improve on some grey areas ahead of the return-leg in Nigeria in a fortnight.
Ambassador Salisu Umaru went ahead to highlight the team’s performance in the first leg citing the inability to take their chances as the biggest problem saying that is what obtains in modern day football.
The Ambassador who also doubles as the head in Senegal however charged the boys to go all out and make the second-leg in Nigeria a mere formality so they can pick a ticket to fly the country’s flag in Niger next year.
Responding on behalf of the team, leader of the Nigerian delegation Otunba Dele Ajayi thanked the community for the support and care accorded the team both on arrival and during the match saying it went a long way in getting the result which was still a fair one.
The Ondo State FA Chairman said the team will get back to the drawing board on arrival in Nigeria to correct all the lapses discovered during the first-leg in order to get the desired result that will ensure their qualification to the Africa U20 Nations Cup next year in Niger.
Otunba Dele Ajayi said the team is quite aware of the task ahead which is to represent and make the over 180 million Nigerians happy and that they will ensure there won’t be any disappointment.
The Flying Eagles gave up their lead as the first leg match ended 1-1 against the Mauritanians and a goalless draw or a win of any margin in the return leg will qualify them for the 2019 Africa U20 Nations Cup in Niger.