FIFA U17 WORLD CUP: Fleet-footed Olusegun tipped to thrill in Brazil

By Morakinyo Abodunrin

Golden Eaglets coach Manu Garba has picked gifted striker Olusegun Olakunle as one of the lads that could light up the FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil 2019 even as he promised not to deviate from his attack-minded style.

The lithe Olakunle has overtime doubled as the Golden Eaglets’ top striker ahead of the trip to Brazil.

Last September, he scored four goals at the WAFU Zone B qualifying tournament to emerge as the top scorer.

He was top scorer with four goals at the sub-regional WAFU Zone B qualifying tournament in Niger en route to the African U-17 AFCON in Tanzania where he also scored just a goal.

In two UEFA assisted Invitational tournaments in Turkey, Olakunle scored four goals including a hat-trick in the 4-2 win over Montenegro in March and an additional three goals in August.

“We don’t really have star players but Olakunle Olusegun  who has scored three goals so far in our pre World Cup friendly  matches look like he will emerge as one of the best strikers in the tournament,” the 56-year-old Garba, a two-time U-17 World Cup winner in 2007 and 2013 told NationSport.

Speaking ahead of the eagerly-awaited tomorrow’s opening Group B tie against Hungary at the Estadio Olympico in Goiania, the coach underlined the team’s attacking propensity:“ The best form of  defence  is to attack  because when  you don’t attack, you can’t score goals. But even as we attack, we must be conscious of the defence.”

Meanwhile, Thenff.com   report that Garba and his assistants are not leaving the stone unturned as they continued to impart tactical and technical knowledge to the players ahead of the game against Hungary, which he strongly affirmed to be a very important tie saying: “winning the opening game is crucial in building the confidence level in the team.”

Both teams are not new to each other as the Golden Eaglets that have now be rechristened the ‘Super Eaglets’ by FIFA defeated Hungary 3-1 at the quarter – final stage of the maiden edition of the tournament in 1985 to becoming the first country to win the tournament, after the team defeated Germany 2-0 in the final.