U17 Afcon: Yemi Olanrenwaju backs Golden Eaglets to respond against South Africa

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Assistant coach of the Nigeria national U-17 team, Yemi Daniel Olanrenwaju says his side have put behind them the disappointment of losing 1-0 to Morocco and are focused on bouncing back against South Africa on Saturday.

Morocco earned all three points to sail into the quarter-finals of the Africa U17 Cup of Nations as the Golden Eaglets wasted a basketful of opportunities in a match they dominated for large periods in Constantine on Wednesday.

An own goal by Tochukwu Ogboji as early as the second minute was all the Moroccans, who downed South Africa’s Amajimbo 2-0 on the opening day, inching closer to a step of booking a spot at this year’s FIFA U17 World Cup.

“Everybody was disappointed you know but we have told the boys that that is life,” Olanrenwaju told Brila FM.

“We can lose games remember that Argentina lost their first match to Saudi Arabia at the World Cup and won the tournament.

“We told them that this is just a little setback. If we don’t convert our chances, opponents can score us and we keep fighting to equalize.

“It is what it is so everyone is looking forward to the next game against South Africa and I think we are ready to go.”

The Golden Eaglets will now play South Africa on Saturday, and victory is imperative in order to be assured of qualification to the last eight of the competition.