Football | Fifa U17 World Cup
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It’s going to be a cracker this evening in the UAE when
Nigeria and Iran lock horns in the knock out stage of the U17 World Cup.
It’s also going to be a contrast in styles and expectations.
Iran’s goal is to get to that last four. Nigeria’s is to win all the marbles for an amazing fourth time.
While Iran plays a suffocating defense with all players virtually moving forward en mass, it is an open secret that centre-back and captain Hosseini is their main anchor. He directs the traffic and acts like a second coach on the field. He has done his business off the field well again and has scouted Nigeria down to the minute fact that Iheanacho’s left lane has always to be blocked.
“We know that they only need one second to hurt you, to score a goal from nothing and they are good at that” he says about the Eaglet team that has now mauled two of the three teams she has faced.
Golden Eaglets celebrate “Shakara” style © Getty Images
“Everybody on the team acts as a defender and when we do go forward we go forward as one,” said the 17-year-old, who led Iran when they were crowned champions of Asia earlier this year. “This is one of the secrets of our success. Our defenders, all of us, are close friends and we support each other,” he added about the esprit de corps in the side. “When we get into trouble, there’s always someone to help out” he further shared with Fifa.com Nigeria as we know is the exact opposite and will throw everything at you including their towels and water bottles if it was legal. When coach Manu Garba says “ My attack is blistering,” and “We can destroy any team on our day” he is not joking – and he said this even before arriving in the UAE where his birds have now posted an average of 4.6 goals a game.
This needless to say is a big game for either program. Stumble and you go home.
Game time is 17.45 CAT and the game can be seen here on SS 5 or followed via LIVE TEXT here on supersport.com.
While Iran plays a suffocating defense with all players virtually moving forward en mass, it is an open secret that centre-back and captain Hosseini is their main anchor. He directs the traffic and acts like a second coach on the field. He has done his business off the field well again and has scouted Nigeria down to the minute fact that Iheanacho’s left lane has always to be blocked.
“We know that they only need one second to hurt you, to score a goal from nothing and they are good at that” he says about the Eaglet team that has now mauled two of the three teams she has faced.
Golden Eaglets celebrate “Shakara” style © Getty Images
“Everybody on the team acts as a defender and when we do go forward we go forward as one,” said the 17-year-old, who led Iran when they were crowned champions of Asia earlier this year. “This is one of the secrets of our success. Our defenders, all of us, are close friends and we support each other,” he added about the esprit de corps in the side. “When we get into trouble, there’s always someone to help out” he further shared with Fifa.com Nigeria as we know is the exact opposite and will throw everything at you including their towels and water bottles if it was legal. When coach Manu Garba says “ My attack is blistering,” and “We can destroy any team on our day” he is not joking – and he said this even before arriving in the UAE where his birds have now posted an average of 4.6 goals a game.
This needless to say is a big game for either program. Stumble and you go home.
Game time is 17.45 CAT and the game can be seen here on SS 5 or followed via LIVE TEXT here on supersport.com.
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