Sports
Golden Eaglets Challenged to Sharpen Attack, as MOP Stars Academy Calls for Ruthless Finishing
Joel Ajayi
The Chairman of MOP Stars Football Club Academy, Dr. Sulieman Adejoh, has charged Nigeria’s U-17 Golden Eaglets to sharpen their attack and make the nation proud at the forthcoming WAFU-B U-17 Boys Tournament in Abidjan.
Speaking after a goalless draw in a test match between his academy side and the Eaglets on Monday at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, Dr. Adejoh commended the resilience of the team but stressed that their major weakness remained in front of goal.
“This was more than just a game — it was a test of the ability of our national U-17 team to represent Nigeria. The boys are grounded and talented, but they simply couldn’t score today. For a national team, that’s not acceptable. Football is about teamwork and, most importantly, scoring goals,” he said.
He urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and Coach Manu Garba’s technical crew to refine their strategies, cautioning that dazzling play without goals will not be enough at the international level.
Reflecting on his own academy’s performance, Adejoh expressed pride, noting that the Mobsters, founded only in January, have yet to lose a match except in a training game against the senior national team. He said the Eaglets’ inability to score against an academy side was a clear signal of the need for urgent improvement in their attacking third.
“Defensively, they are solid, and the wingers are talented. But wingers must supply the strikers. If attackers don’t get the ball, even the best can’t do anything. The Eaglets represent over 200 million Nigerians, and we want to see goals when they play,” he added.
He praised both sides for a competitive and injury-free match and the fans for their enthusiasm. Delivering his final message to the Golden Eaglets, Dr. Adejoh said:
“My advice is simple: go for goals. Stop the unnecessary dribbling. Football is teamwork. Release the ball quickly, find your striker, and let them do their job — which is scoring goals. That’s what Nigerians expect when they represent the country abroad.”
Head Coach of MOP Stars, Toyin Lawal, hailed the progress of his young team after holding the national U-17 side to a goalless draw.
“We are a new team and still have a lot of work ahead of us. But it’s a joyful thing to see that we were able to contend with the national team. I sincerely hope the Eaglets will go on to represent the country very well.
When we met months ago at the Goal Project, they beat us 1–0. This time, we ensured no goal went in. In fact, we even pushed to win it. What changed is simply the mentality of the boys. Back then, the goal we conceded came from a careless mistake due to inexperience. But as we’ve grown and trained more, the players have become more precise. You could see today that those mistakes were far fewer, and that’s why we came out stronger.”
Team captain Edeh Eric Ernest described the game as “a battle of giants.” “In the first leg, they beat us 1–0, but we went back to the drawing board and came back stronger for this encounter. Our goal today was to win, and we created chances, but they were able to withstand us in key moments, and that’s why we didn’t score. Kudos to them for that.
I’m proud of my boys — they really gave their best. The mistakes we made in the last game didn’t happen today, and that’s why this result is massive for us. At least we came out with a draw. At the same time, we pray for the national team to represent Nigeria well as they travel. That’s the most important thing.
One of the academy’s stakeholders, Mr. Ekpang Adejoh, praised the team’s discipline and raw talent.
“Fantastic defensive discipline, solid midfield formation — from street footballers — yet they held a national U-17 side to a goalless draw. That’s remarkable.
The U-17s did well too, but you cannot take away the raw talent of these MOP Stars. This is why we are urging the NFF to look into the streets of Nigeria. There are footballers everywhere, and even from this team alone, you can find future Super Eagles stars.
The academy is less than a year old, yet look how far they’ve come. In the next two years, with the dedication of the founder, we could be seeing players on the level of Jay-Jay Okocha or Kanu Nwankwo.
From losing through an own goal in the first leg to holding their own here and even creating better chances, this shows there’s massive talent on Nigeria’s streets. It’s time for the NFF to recognize this and organize competitions between academies and national teams to uncover more players. That’s very important.”
Sports
Nigeria Jets Out Tuesday for 2025 Hockey AFCON as Federation President Engr Nkom Backs Teams for Podium Finish
Joel Ajayi
With the 2025 Hockey African Cup of Nations (AFCON) set to take place in Egypt from October 11 to 18, both the men’s and women’s national hockey teams are set to depart Nigeria on October 7, brimming with confidence and determination to make the nation proud.
The President of the Hockey Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Engineer Simon Nkom, speaking after a series of friendly matches at the Hockey Pitch, Package B of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, said the teams’ early preparation and intensive training camps have positioned them for a successful outing in Egypt.
“In sports—whether it’s hockey, handball, or basketball—fitness is key. That’s why we began camping weeks ago to build the players’ strength and resilience ahead of this major competition. This is the African Cup of Nations—the highest level of hockey on the continent. We’ve prepared well, and I’m confident our teams will finish on the podium,” he stated.
Nkom highlighted the significant progress Nigerian hockey has recorded in recent years, noting that the country’s world ranking improved from 56th to 36th, while in Hockey 5s, Nigeria now stands 12th globally.
“A few years ago, people barely knew hockey existed in Nigeria. Today, our women’s team ranks 3rd in Africa, and the men’s team is 4th. This growth is a product of deliberate grassroots development and consistent effort,” he added.
To ensure smooth participation and avoid past challenges of late arrivals at tournaments, the federation has finalized logistics for early departure.
“We’ve made all arrangements for the teams to leave early to acclimatize and play friendly matches before the competition begins. The players are motivated, relaxed, and ready to give their best. By God’s grace, they will return home with their heads held high,” Nkom assured.
The HFN President also lauded the federation’s board members for their commitment and teamwork over the past four years, which he said has greatly contributed to the sport’s steady rise in Nigeria.
Head coach Ndana Baba Abdullahi, who oversees both the men’s and women’s teams, praised the federation’s support and lauded the players’ work ethic throughout the extended training camp.
“We’ve worked very hard — morning and evening sessions, tactical drills, conditioning. The players have responded excellently. We started with 35 players and are now down to the final 18 who will make the trip,” Abdullahi said, adding that the early arrival in Egypt would give Nigeria a crucial psychological and tactical edge.
Men’s team captain, Michael John, expressed confidence in the squad’s readiness and determination to make history in Egypt.
“We’re perfectly fine — we’ve trained hard and prepared well,” he said. “We’re just waiting for the whistle to blow. By God’s grace, we won’t disappoint our country or those who worked hard to send us there.”
Similarly, women’s team captain, Alfa Cornelius, echoed optimism about the team’s prospects.
“We’ve been camping for over a month, and the coaches have done a wonderful job. We’ve worked hard to match our opponents in both strength and skill. I’m 100% confident that we’ll perform excellently in Egypt,” she said.
-
Featured6 years agoLampard Names New Chelsea Manager
-
Featured5 years agoFG To Extends Lockdown In FCT, Lagos Ogun states For 7days
-
Featured6 years agoChildren Custody: Court Adjourns Mike Ezuruonye, Wife’s Case To April 7
-
Featured6 years agoNYSC Dismisses Report Of DG’s Plan To Islamize Benue Orientation Camp
-
Featured4 years agoTransfer Saga: How Mikel Obi Refused to compensate me After I Linked Him Worth $4m Deal In Kuwait SC – Okafor
-
Sports3 years ago
TINUBU LAMBAST DELE MOMODU
-
News9 months agoZulu to Super Eagles B team, President Tinubu is happy with you
-
Featured6 years ago
Board urges FG to establish one-stop rehabilitation centres in 6 geopolitical zones
