Izuchukwu Okosi
Former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki has joined eminent Nigerians who have heaped plaudits on the Flying Eagles for a gallant performance in the quarterfinals defeat to South Korea on Sunday.
Nigeria’s quest for a first ever FIFA men’s U-20 World Cup title triumph was truncated with a 1-0 loss to the Asians at the Estadio Del Estero.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelChoi Seok-Hyun headed the ball past a stranded Flying Eagles back line from a corner kick within five minutes of the extra time.
The Nigeria side were participating in their 13th FIFA U-20 World Cup where they were runners up in Saudi Arabia in 1989 and The Netherlands in 2005 when they lost to Portugal and Argentina.
Saraki expressed his belief that the future of the game in Nigeria is in good hands despite the disappointment of not reaching the semifinals of the tournament in Argentina.
Taking to his twitter handle, Saraki hailed the doggedness of coach Ladan Bosso’s team.
“Despite the defeat, we are proud of our Flying Eagles for their impressive journey at the FIFA U20 World Cup.
“The future of Nigerian football is bright, and the journey doesn’t end here. Keep soaring high, boys!”
The team started their campaign at the tournament with a hard fought 2-1 win over Dominican Republic.
The team then defeated Italy 2-0 in their second group game but lost 2-0 to Brazil but shocked hosts Argentina 2-0 to win in the round of 16 stage.
The Flying Eagles side are expected to return back to the country on Tuesday.
The players and coaches had been promised landed properties at choice locations in Nigeria plus cash rewards if they reached the final of the tournament.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
