AFC
CAF
CONMEBOL
CONCACAF
UEFA
OFC

AFRICA - CAF NEWS

spacer

 

November 17, 2004

Nigeria ties Italy to advance

 

Nigeria 1 Italy 1

 

Tuesday, November 16, 2004

Chiang Mai's 700th Anniversary Stadium

 

Scoring

Italy Ricco, 58

Nigeria Sabi, 88

 

Game

 

Italy played a defensive game against the physical and faster Nigerians, but had little counter attack. Nigeria had poor finishing and were fortunate to squeak out a goal in the dying moments of the match.

 

Post match quotes

 

Nigeria U-19 National Team Head Coach Felix Ibe Ukwu

 

I am not happy with the result because my players did not play to my instructions.  Italy frustrated us tactically, and we let them kill the match.

 

Italy U-19 National Team Head Coach

Tonight I can say nothing bad about my team. I can't ask for more of them, and I am very proud.  We knew that Nigeria were physically stronger and faster than us, so we would have to stress tactical control.  The players were perfect in the way that they stopped Nigeria from playing and then worried about the counterattack.