Solomon Dalung, the Sports Minister, has frowned at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) following the failure of the national U-20 side, the Flying Eagles, to qualify for the 2017 U-20 Cup of Nations in Zambia, with a promise to possibly summon the leadership of the football house over the development, the Daily Independent reports.
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Taking a 2-1 away win with them to Nigeria, the Flying Eagles – the defending champions of the tournament – went down 4-3 to Sudan in their own back yard, with the North African side progressing on away goals following their 5-5 aggregate scoreline.
“The players are disappointed and Nigerians are disappointed; and I’m personally disappointed”. We’ve seen these boys play, everybody have seen them play. Recalled Funsho Bamgboye shot Nigeria in front again after 26 minutes, only for the Sudanese to again draw level through Halid Abdamuleem with two minutes left in the first half.
Striker Khaled Abdulmonen Osman was hero for the Sudanese netting a hat-trick, which fueled their bid for victory despite finishing the game with ten men after Walaa Eldin Musa was sent off after a second yellow card on 63 minutes.
Osman made it 2-2 three minutes before the interval capitalizing on a defensive lapse.
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The Sudanese would not let up and hit the third goal in the second half before the Orji Okonkwo restored parity, but just as the Flying Eagles went in search of the victor, an own goal at the other end, with seven minutes left on the clock, steered the visitors through. Egypt, winners in 2013 failed to qualify for the last edition in Senegal in 2015.
